This work is devoted to the experimental study of the continuous foaming process applied to food emulsions. Its aim was to analyse the combined effects of the technologies, formulation parameters and operating conditions. The study was focussed on three types of emulsions: the "acid type" similar to a fresh cheese, the "salty type" like a white sauce and the "sweet" emulsions like a dairy topping. From a technological point of view, three continuous foaming devices were compared : a narrow annular gap column, an axial rotor/stator unit equipped with pins and a scraped surface heat exchanger. The influence of operating conditions included the effects of scale-up, rotational speed, residence time and operation pressure. The analysis of power requirements during foaming operation and of the substitution of gelatine by a mixture of polysaccharides as thickening agents were also investigated.
