Milky Foams

From the outset, the term "mousse" evokes, at the organizational level, an overflowing, honeycombed structure; at the textural level, an unstable liquid product whose bubbles are more or less ephemeral, or, on the contrary, a semi-solid or even solid product that is aerated and stable; and at the sensory level, an unctuous, light, melting, spreadable or crumbly product. The common denominator is a particular and complex physicochemical organization: a homogeneous, metastable dispersion of a gas (air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide) in the form of bubbles, in a continuous aqueous, fatty or emulsified phase. The manufacturing process and unit operations are detailed and explained here, after some economic data relating to the dairy dessert and milk mousse market. Finally, emphasis is placed on the study of foam stabilization and destabilization, which are central to the technological concerns of these products.