2. Mechanisms of moss formation

To prevent the appearance of moss, or to eliminate it once it has formed, we need to know the phenomena responsible for its formation. Foam formation depends, of course, on the molecules present in the medium. But it also depends on the physical conditions under which the gases are dispersed in the liquid, i.e. the physico-chemical phenomena that help to facilitate dispersion. To illustrate this point, let's recall the difference between the mechanisms at work in a washing machine, where the air and the washing medium are constantly and violently agitated and mixed, and those at work in champagne or a soft drink, where the foam is formed by the slow debubbling of the gases dissolved in the beverage.

As we have already suggested, dispersed gas can be generated directly and accompany a process (e.g. fermentation), leading to undesirable quantities of foam which then...