emulsify

American  

[ih-muhl-suh-fahy] / ɪˈmʌl səˌfaɪ /

verb (used with or without object)

emulsified, emulsifying

1. to make into or form an emulsion.

---

emulsify British  

/ ɪˈmʌlsɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. to make or form into an emulsion

---

Usage

What does emulsify mean? To emulsify is to form an emulsion—a mixture of two liquids that don’t fully combine.An emulsion may look like a single liquid, but it’s made up of particles of one liquid distributed throughout another liquid. For example, if you emulsify oil and water, it forms an emulsion in which small droplets of oil are suspended in the water, but the two liquids aren’t fully blended together (as they would be if you stirred together water and vinegar, for example).In technical chemistry terms, an emulsion is a colloidal suspension in which the substances mixed together are both liquids. Both colloids and suspensions involve particles of one substance distributed in another without being dissolved.Emulsions are used in a variety of contexts, including pharmacology, cooking, and photography.In cooking, liquids or liquid-like ingredients are emulsified in order to make sauces with a smooth consistency. A common example of an emulsion is the kind of salad dressings called a vinaigrette, which is made by emulsifying oil and vinegar.Example: To emulsify oil and vinegar, you have to whisk very hard to separate the oil into tiny droplets, or else the two liquids will separate.

Other Word Forms

• emulsibility noun
• emulsible adjective
• emulsifiability noun
• emulsifiable adjective
• emulsification noun
• emulsifier noun
• unemulsified adjective

Etymology

Origin of emulsify

First recorded in 1855–60; from Latin ēmuls(us) ( emulsion ) + -ify

Example Sentences

“American cheese is made with sodium citrate, an emulsifying salt that keeps the cheese creamy and smooth when melted,” she said.

From Salon

The ice crush preset can turn ice into snow, ready for a snow cone treat, while the stir function is great for emulsified sauces like Caesar dressing.

From Salon

When using these components, food manufacturers need to emulsify, or mix them, together.

From Salon

The therapy is a diglyceride formulation -- two omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, bound to a glyceride molecule -- which enhances their ability to emulsify into tiny, concentrated particles.

From Science Daily

The team says that result confirmed the hypothesis that VFD processing could be a "green" one-step technique for more stable, emulsified viscous liquids.

From Science Daily