What You Need to Know
In vinaigrette, mustard mucilage polysaccharides lower interfacial tension between oil and vinegar, allowing fine dispersion. Mayonnaise uses lecithin (phosphatidylcholine) in egg yolk to stabilize oil droplets; the process is temperature‑sensitive to prevent protein denaturation. Hollandaise incorporates clarified butter into egg yolk under gentle heat, with acidification keeping yolk proteins soluble and preventing scrambling.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Formation of a stable oil-in-water emulsion via dispersion of oil droplets in an aqueous phase stabilized by emulsifiers