Stabilizer

An ingredient added to an emulsion to help the emulsion stay in place without breaking. While most true emulsifiers are surfactants, in which one half of the molecule is soluble in water and the other half in oil, a stabilizer works by thickening the emulsion in such a way that lighter components cannot float to the top, which would break the sauce. As an example, the egg yolk in manyonnaise is a true emulsifier, but a mayonnaise may still break; xanthan gum can be used as a stabilizer to hold the emulsion in place.