Introduction

Substances that are soluble in both fat and water and enable fat to be uniformly dispersed
in water as an emulsion. Foods that consist of such emulsions include butter, margarine,
salad dressings, mayonnaise, and ice cream. Stabilizers maintain emulsions in a stable
form. Emulsifying agents are also used in baking to aid the smooth incorporation of fat
into the dough and to keep the crumb soft.
Emulsifying agents used in foods include agar, albumin, alginates, casein, egg yolk,
glycerol monostearate, gums, Irish moss, lecithin, soaps

Classification of Emulsifiers
These can be classified on the basis of chemical structure and mechanism of action. Under
chemical structure category are synthetic, natural, auxiliary agents and finely dispersed
solids. In the category of mechanism of action comes the monomolecular, multimolecular
and solid particle films .
1- Natural emulsifying agents are derived from plant and animal tissues and mostly in the
form of hydrated lypophilic colloids. These emulsifiers make the protective sheath around
the droplets, give droplets a charge so that they repel each other and swell to step-up the
viscosity of the liquid.
a-Natural ones are derived from vegetables, animals, semi synthetic and synthetic agents.
Although natural agents are inexpensive, safe and non toxic but these are slow in action.
So large quantity of emulsifier is required for proper action. Also the natural emulsifiers
need preservatives as these are subjected to microbial growth.
b-The animal derivatives are stronger than the plant ones. The best example of this is
lecithin and cholesterol. Some people are allergic to these so must be consumed after
knowing the derivatives.
2-Both semi-synthetic and synthetic emulsifying agents are strong and require no
preservative as these are not prone to microbial growth.

How They Work

Most emulsions deal with water and oil, which normally separate into two layers when
you add them together. There are two basic types of emulsion: water-in-oil and oil-inwater; the first deals with oil droplets dispersed in water, and the second, vice-versa.
Emulsifier molecules have one hydrophilic (water-loving) end and one lipophilic (fat or
oil-loving) end. In an oil-in-water emulsion, the lipophilic ends of the molecules surround
the oil droplets, with their hydrophilic ends exposed to the surrounding water. In this way,
the oil droplets may move around in a shield of emulsifiers, allowing them to disperse
freely throughout the solution. Water-in-oil emulsions work the same, with the orientation
of the emulsifier molecules reversed to accommodate the water droplets.

Uses of emulsifiers :
-In medicine 1
20 ml ampule of 1% Propofol emulsion suitable for intravenous injection. The
manufacturers emulsify lipid-soluble Propofol in a mixture of water, soy oil, and egg
lecithin.
In pharmaceutics, hairstyling, personal hygiene, and cosmetics, emulsions are frequently
used. These are usually oil and water emulsions, but which is dispersed and which is
continuous depends in many cases on the pharmaceutical formulation. These emulsions
may be called creams, ointments, liniments (balms), pastes, films, or liquids, depending
mostly on their oil-to-water ratios, other additives, and their intended route of
administration. The first 5 are topical dosage forms, and may be used on the surface of the
skin, transdermally, ophthalmically, rectally, or vaginally. A highly liquid emulsion may
also be used orally, or may be injected in some cases. Popular medications occurring in
emulsion form include calamine lotion, cod liver oil, Polysporin, cortisol cream, Canesten,
and Fleet.
Microemulsions are used to deliver vaccines and kill microbes. Typical emulsions used in
these techniques are nanoemulsions of soybean oil, with particles that are 400-600 nm in
diameter. The process is not chemical, as with other types of antimicrobial treatments, but
mechanical. The smaller the droplet, the greater the surface tension, and thus the greater
the force required to merge with other lipids. The oil is emulsified with detergents using a
high-shear mixer to stabilize the emulsion, so when they encounter the lipids in the cell
membrane or envelope of bacteria or viruses, they force the lipids to merge with
themselves. On a mass scale, this effectively disintegrates the membrane and kills the
pathogen. The soybean oil emulsion does not harm normal human cells, or the cells of
most other higher organisms, with the exceptions of sperm cells and blood cells, which are
vulnerable to nanoemulsions due to the peculiarities of their membrane structures. For this
reason, these nanoemulsions are not currently used intravenously (IV). The most effective
application of this type of nanoemulsion is for the disinfection of surfaces. Some types of
nanoemulsions have been shown to effectively destroy HIV-1 and tuberculosis pathogens
on non-porous surfaces.

2- Food
The food industry uses many emulsifiers, both natural and synthetic, for a number of
reasons. Common natural emulsifiers are egg, soybean oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil and
sunflower oil. Other emulsifiers are synthesized to better match the qualities and
ingredients of a given product. Emulsifiers are used in dairy products such as cream
cheese and ice cream in order to enhance and differentiate textures. In candy products they
are used to improve crystallization and to create popular chewy or gooey textures. In
addition, they are used to improve the shelf-life of many products, such as as jarred
peanut-butter and sauces as well as breads.
Oil-in-water emulsions are common in food:

Crema in espresso coffee oil in water (brewed coffee), unstable emulsion

Mayonnaise and Hollandaise sauce - these are oil-in-water emulsions that are stabilized
with egg yolk lecithin, or with other types of food additives, such as sodium stearoyl
lactylate
Vinaigrette an emulsion of vegetable oil in vinegar. If this is prepared using only oil and
vinegar (i.e. without an emulsifier), an unstable emulsion results
Homogenized milk an emulsion of milk fat in water and milk proteins
*Types
Monoglycerides are a combination of glycerol and fatty acids. According to
UnderstandingFoodAdditives.org, monoglycerides are one of the most common types of
emulsifying agents. Lecithin, a monoglyceride often found in egg yolks, is frequently used
as an emulsifier. Animal fat and vegetable oil can be used to produce artificial emulsifying
agents. Emulsifying agents also come in different strengths depending on the size of their
molecular structures. An emulsifier with a large molecular size, such as the diacetyl
tartaric esters of monoglycerides used in bread, are more potent than those with smaller
molecular structures.
*Function
Emulsifying agents are able to prevent the separation of oil and water due to their unique
molecular structure. One end of the molecule is hydrophilic, or attracted to water. The
other end of the molecule is lipophilic, or attracted to oil. Since each end of the molecule
is attracted to one of the two main substances in the mixture, emulsifying agents evenly
distribute throughout the water and oil rather than forming a separate third layer. The
emulsifiers also keep the oil and water evenly distributed, preventing them from forming
separate layers of their own.
*Natural Emulsion
Some food products are commonly used as emulsifying agents. According to Food
Network, milk, eggs, mustard and gelatin can be added to oil and water mixtures to
emulsify them. Mixtures can be emulsified by hand by adding an emulsifying agent into a
water-based mixture, then slowly pouring in oil while vigorously stirring. The continued
motion ensures the emulsifying agent evenly distributes through the mixture to prevent the
oil and water from separating. Oil-based salad dressings (such as Caesar dressing) and
mayonnaise often require this technique.
* Effects
Emulsifying agents are one of the most common additives in processed foods. Low-fat
margarine spread relies heavily on added emulsifying agents. If the oil were to separate in
the spread, it would be susceptible to mold. Emulsifying agents are also used to improve
texture in processed baked goods. If oil is not evenly distributed throughout batter or
dough, the product will be dense rather than flaky or light. The processed food industry
also uses emulsifiers to prevent items from becoming thin or runny over time, such as
sauces or dressings.

*Common Foods
According to UnderstandingFoodAdditives.org, emulsifying agents are used in a large
array of foods. Although baked goods, mayonnaise and margarine tend to rely most
heavily on emulsifiers, they are also used to extend the shelf life of breakfast cereals and
dehydrated potato flakes. Emulsifying agents are added to soft drinks to prevent separation
of the sugars and other materials. They also help toffee, caramel and chewing gum retain
their textures.

3- In firefighting
Emulsifying agents are effective at extinguishing fires on small, thin-layer spills of flammable
liquids (Class B fires). Such agents encapsulate the fuel in a fuel-water emulsion, thereby
trapping the flammable vapors in the water phase. This emulsion is achieved by applying an
aqueous surfactant solution to the fuel through a high-pressure nozzle. Emulsifiers are not
effective at extinguishing large fires involving bulk/deep liquid fuels, because the amount of
agent needed for extinguishment is a function of the volume of the fuel, whereas agents such as
aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) need cover only the surface of the fuel to achieve vapor
mitigation

4- Other Uses
Other common industries that use emulsions are agriculture, pharmaceuticals and
paints/inks. In agriculture, they are used to regulate the concentration of fertilizers and
pesticides, improving dilutability and spray-ability of solutions with powerful biocides that
may be damaging if not properly dispersed. In pharmaceuticals, emulsifiers are
incorporated into drugs in order to regulate dosages and to make medicines more
palatable. In paints and inks, they are used to keep colors homogeneous, to help them dry
more quickly, and to provide waterproof coats without affecting pigment.

Negative Effects
Some emulsifiers have been found to contain harmful chemicals, especially in the
highly synthetic chemical make-ups of many cosmetic products. For example,
polyethylene glycol (PEG) compounds have been found to contain traces of carcinogens.
Certain types of emulsifiers called surfactants, also used in body-care products, have
caused allergic reactions as well as skin and eye problems.

Finding the right emulsifier

Emulsions are used in metal working when cooling and lubrication are called for. The following review of
factors governing the choice of emulsifier will, it is hoped, guide you through the jungle of different
types.
In a previous article we studied HLB value and the importance of VGC in formulation. The present article
deals with the response of different types of oil. Naphthenic-base oil needs less emulsifier than paraffin-

base oil to give a stable emulsion.

A modern metalworking fluid can have more than 15 different components. These can be divided into the
following groups:

Base oils.
Corrosion inhibitors.
Coupling agents.
Biocides.
Foam inhibitors.
Water.
EP/AW agents.

To make this mixture soluble in water, a properly balanced emulsifier is needed. All additives interact
with the emulsion system, and so the recipe has to be tailored to the exact requirements defined by oneself
or the customer.

Emulsion system
An emulsion consists of two or more insoluble phases. If the external phase is water and the internal one
oil, the emulsion is called an oil in water (O/W). Milk, for example, is a typical O/W emulsion containing
about 3.5% fat in a water phase, and butter is a W/O emulsion with about 20% water in the fat phase. The
principle of the emulsifier is to have a polar tail for the water phase and a non-polar one for the fat phase.
Through enrichment in the boundary zone between the phases, the emulsifier forms a transition between
them.

Emulsifiers
Two kinds of emulsifiers are normally used in industry: ionic system and non-ionic systems. Mixtures of
ionic and non-ionic systems occur. Co-emulsifiers and coupling agents are used for stabilising the
system. The non-ionic emulsifiers cover the entire scale of HLB values and can be used in all products.
Unfortunately they cost more than the ionic emulsifiers, which are the commonest type. There are great
variations, and in deciding a recipe one has to choose between many different grades.

Non-ionic emulsifiers
This type of emulsifier is used mostly in W/O systems and for balancing the ionic emulsifier in O/W
formulas. On account of its stability and pH value, this is the type commonly used in metalworking oils.

Ionic emulsifiers
There are two sorts of ionic emulsifier: anionic and cationic. The commonest types are anionic, soap and
sulphonates being the commonest of all. Sulphonates and petroleum sulphonates have various molecular
weights. A large proportion of sulphonates are alkyl sulphonates, by-products of alkyl benzene
production. Sulphonated alkyl benzenes are the dominant product used for cleaning agents. The high pH
values give protection against corrosion but they also cause environmental problems.

Coupling agents
A coupling agent is soluble in oil and augments the solubility of the inner phase.

Alcohol
Alcohol is soluble in water and reduces the solubility of the outer phase. The solubility of the oil makes a
difference to formulation. A highly soluble naphthenic-base oil needs less emulsifier than a paraffin-base
oil. A more refined naphthenic-base oil also needs less emulsifier than one that is less refined. The charts
show a stability test performed on four different emulsifiers. The difference in response between oils can
be seen quite clearly. The smaller the layer of "cream" which settles on top of the mixture, the greater its
stability will be. A naphthenic-base oil can give a stable emulsion with the addition of much less
emulsifier than a paraffin-base oil

Emulsifiers images :

Report
On
Emulsifying agent
Prepared by
Beniameen Tadros Milad
Under supervision of
Staff member of
pharmaceutics department
Faculty of pharmacy ,
Assuit university

References

http://ezinearticles.com/?Emulsifying-Agents-and-Types-ofEmulsifiers&id=5030808
http://www.ehow.com/about_5484887_usesemulsifiers.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulsion
http://www.nynas.com/en/Segment/Base-oils-forLubricants-and-Greases/Knowledge-Tank/Whitepapers/Finding-the-right-emulsifier/