The emulsifiers are additives used for many purposes in the production of foods, among them to improve texture, volume, aeration and homogeneity of the products. Most studies indicate a new role for this compound that acts usually stabilizing emulsions, as modifier of the crystallization of oils and fats. Products such as chocolate, margarine and ice cream which are made of fats, upon reaching the condition of supercooling or supersaturation, form crystals and then a three-dimensional crystal lattice responsible for sensory attributes of products. The emulsifiers can alter induction time, the rate of formation of fat crystals and modify the morphology and crystal habit of these crystals, retarding undesired polymorphic transitions and affecting quality of products. This review evaluated the effects of different food emulsifiers on the crystallization of fats.
emulsifiers; sorbitan esters; lecithin; crystallization; polymorphism
