Emulsifiers are an important part of cooking. From beeswax to margarine, the first emulsifiers can be dated back to 131 A.D. Egg yolks and soy products are the most popular emulsifiers. We even use emulsifiers in common boxed cake mix.
      The Oldest Emulsifier
The oldest known emulsifier was beeswax. It was used in skin lotion by Greek physician Galen, 131-201 A.D. In the early 19th century, the egg yolk first became an emulsifier used in food applications. The main emulsifying compound in egg yolk is phospholipid lecithin. This enables liquid oil to be dispersed in what is called an acidified aqueous solution. The shelf life of emulsifiers from an egg yolk is rather short.
      1920s
By the 1920s, lecithin derived from soybean had been introduced as a food emulsifier. French chemist Hippolyte Mege-Mouries invented margarine in 1869. Originally developed to be a butter substitute, margarine is considered to be a food by its own right in today's market. Margarine was first offered as "cheap butter" in the late 1860s, and was finally patented in 1869.
Margarine was first produced in 1873 and its existence was bitterly opposed the butter industry. The sale of yellow margarine was prohibited in the United States. Margarine manufacturers fought for a public appearance. Eventually, the nutritional content of margarine was advertised and pushed hard in the media. By 1902, 32 states had bans on margarine. The Supreme Court upheld such bans and it was around this time that coloring in the home began to change the margarine color. This practice continued through World War II.
By 1932, 27 states were still prohibiting the manufacture of margarine. By 1941 margarine consumption began once again. Finally, by 1951, the Federal margarine tax system came to an end.
      Beiersdorf
Beiersdorf is important to emulsifying history because in 1911, Beiersdorf launched Nivea Cream. It was the world's first oil- and water-based cream that was suitable for mass production. Eventually Nivea became an international best seller. By 1914, the sales of Nivea had reached into 34 countries.
      1977
In 1977, Dr. Eli Pinthus first founded Adumim Food Ingredients, Ltd., commercializing the research on the production of food emulsifiers.
By 1984, that same company produced the rodent emulsifier. It was described as a heavy-duty ?-horsepower two-speed emulsifier meant to quickly reduce the remains of a small animal.
      1999
By December of 1999 cake mixes were using emulsifiers, with the benefit that they were extremely forgiving being one of the selling points. The emulsifiers keep the cake moist. They bind the fat and the liquid together. Soy lecithin is the most commonly used emulsifier in cakes.