An emulsifier is an additive that helps two things that normally separate, such as oil and water, form a stable mixture and stay that way. Its molecules have one end attracted to water and another attracted to fat, so they settle at the boundary of each droplet and keep the droplets from merging.
In snacks, emulsifiers do several jobs: they keep creams and fillings smooth, help chocolate coatings flow, soften the crumb of cakes and slow staling, and help seasonings disperse and stick. The most common are lecithin (INS 322), usually from soybean or sunflower, and mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (INS 471). Others seen on SeekSnack include polyglycerol esters (INS 475), propylene glycol esters (INS 477), ammonium phosphatides (INS 442) and gum arabic (INS 414).
Soy lecithin comes from soy, a major allergen source, and INS 471 can be made from vegetable or animal fats, which labels do not always specify. Lay’s Stax crisps such as Lay’s Stax Original list both lecithin and INS 471.
