Emulsions and Emulsifiers

An emulsion is a particular type of mixture of two liquids that, in principle, are not miscible. It is formed mechanically by shaking the two liquids so thoroughly that tiny droplets of one of the liquids become suspended in the other. These droplets can remain in suspension for a shorter or a longer period of time, but eventually they will merge and the two liquids will separate again. The emulsions most often found in the kitchen are mixtures of a watery liquid (water, vinegar, or lemon juice) and an oily liquid (oil or fat).