Page 33 - FoodFocusThailand No.244 August 2026

SMART PRODUCTION

Table 1 Emulsification technologies and their applications in food products
Production Emulsifier/ Properties Examples of
Technology Encapsulating material and functions food products
High-speed stirring Lecithin Forms a coarse emulsion and reduces Salad dressings, sauces, and
Gum arabic interfacial tension between oil and water mayonnaise
High-pressure homogenization Whey protein Reduces emulsion droplet size, improves Milk, protein beverages, and ice
Casein droplet uniformity, and enhances emulsion cream
Pea protein stability
Ultrasonic emulsification Plant proteins Produces fine emulsion droplets, enhances Beverages, fruit juices, and sauces
dispersion, and improves emulsion stability
Nanoemulsion technology Lecithin Enhances the solubility and bioavailability Edible coatings, functional
Whey protein of bioactive compounds while improving beverages, and dietary supplements
emulsion stability
Microencapsulation technology Encapsulating material: Maltodextrin, Protects bioactive compounds, controls Probiotics, vitamins, essential oils,
Alginate, Gelatin, Pea protein their release, and improves stability during and flavor compounds
processing and storage
Source: Santamaria-Echart et al. (2025); Ogbonna et al. (2025)

reduction, dispersion, emulsification, and
mixing. The high rotational speed creates
turbulent flow around the edge of the disc,
including vortex formation and up-and-down
fluid circulation, achieving uniform dispersion.
2. Homogenization is a process applied
to liquid or semi-liquid systems to achieve
the uniform distribution of components at the
microscopic level. Its primary objective is to
reduce the size of particles, liquid droplets, Innovation and Development of Emulsification Technology
or air bubbles and disperse them uniformly Current innovations in emulsion technology are no longer limited to
throughout the continuous phase, thereby stabilizing oil-water mixtures but have expanded to the protection of
improving the stability and homogeneity of bioactive compounds, controlled release of active ingredients, and the
the system. Different types of homogenizers extension of product shelf life. Among the most promising technologies
operate based on different principles. High- are nanoemulsion technology and microencapsulation technology
pressure homogenizers use high pressure (Table 1). Nanoemulsions, with droplet sizes ranging from approximately
to generate shear forces, impact forces, and 10–200 nm, are widely used as delivery systems for fat-soluble vitamins,
turbulent flow, causing particles or liquid antioxidants, essential oils, and flavoring agents. They are also applied
droplets to break into smaller sizes. In contrast, in the development of edible coatings to extend the shelf life of fruits,
ultrasonic homogenizers utilize the cavitation vegetables, and meat products. In contrast, microencapsulation is a
phenomenon generated by high-frequency technique that encapsulates active compounds within natural or synthetic
vibrations to disrupt particle structures and polymeric materials to protect them from degradation and control their
promote efficient dispersion. release. Microencapsulation is widely used for the encapsulation of
3. Ultrasonic emulsification utilizes high- probiotics to improve their survival in the gastrointestinal tract and
frequency sound waves above 20 kHz. When therefore plays an important role in the development of functional foods
ultrasonic waves are transmitted through a and health-promoting foods.
liquid, they cause the liquid to vibrate hundreds Future trends in food emulsification technology are focused on
of thousands of times per second, leading to the the development of techniques capable of producing a wide variety of
formation of numerous microbubbles within the emulsion structures, including microemulsions, nanoemulsions, and
liquid. These microbubbles rapidly expand under double emulsions, to meet diverse application requirements. These
continuous ultrasonic irradiation and eventually technologies not only enhance product performance but also promote the
collapse suddenly. This phenomenon, known role of emulsions as efficient delivery systems for bioactive compounds,
as cavitation, generates strong shockwaves, supporting the development of functional foods in the future.
localized high temperatures, and localized high
pressures, which effectively promote the mixing
of immiscible liquids and facilitate the dispersion
of one liquid phase into another, resulting in the More Information Service Info C004
formation of a uniformly dispersed emulsion.

AUG 2026 FOOD FOCUS THAILAND 33

25/7/2569 BE 15:31
29-33_Smart Production_����������.indd 33 25/7/2569 BE 15:31
29-33_Smart Production_����������.indd 33