According to Joe Higgs, vice president of technical services for Ventura Foods LLC, manufacturers must not only understand consumer preferences and demands, but also know how to manufacture emulsified salad dressings and sauces that retain a fresh homemade character through the products' shelflife.
A dressing in which the emulsion has broken down is not the most attractive sight on the grocery store shelf. He described emulsification as a “balancing act” in which the processor must maintain enough interfacial tension between the oil and aqueous phases to keep them together without causing phase separation and the oil to coalesce. Common stabilizers and emulsifiers that are used include: mono- and di-glycerides, egg yolk, whey, lecithin, polysorbate 60, gums and starches. Manufacturers use a wide range of mixers, which provide shear, to maintain this balancing act. Post-emulsion blend tanks also are used to incorporate particulates such as relishes, other large-size vegetables and cheeses. Adding these flavors provides a level of customization in meeting consumer demand.