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Cream Features
Approximately 50 to 80 percent of a cream's volume is water. Water acts as a solvent for the oil. Oil volumes can vary between 15 and 30 percent within the cream. Common oils used in creams vary widely, from vegetable and animal oils to herbal and fish oils. Emulsifiers are also added to cream for neutralizing the natural tendency of oil and water to repel one another. Additionally, antioxidants help extend cream's shelf life by resisting oil oxidation.
Percentage Differences
Manufacturers of quality creams require high levels of oils for a thicker overall texture. However, oil and water percentages within creams must be balanced. Large oil amounts create unstable creams. There is less water for the separated oil droplets to mix within, creating the potential for oil to separate completely from the water. In addition, more emulsifiers would be needed for higher oil levels, affecting the overall consistency of the cream.
Mixing
During manufacturing, oil droplets must be stirred into the water solvent with a slow-to-medium blending motion. Slow-to-medium blending allows the oil to separate into tiny globules. The globules offer more surface area for neutralizing the natural repelling tendencies, creating a stable cream consistency. Rapid blending does not create these small oil droplets and contributes to a more unstable cream.
Salt Content
Water within cream should not be derived from mineral or spring water, as these contain dissolved salts that affect the emulsifier's functions. Salts react with the emulsifier's molecule ends, causing the emulsion to work inefficiently. As a result, the oil and water mixture can separate and destabilize the cream.
Additional Factors
Astringents and alcohol within the cream can easily destabilize the consistency. Astringents contend for water as a natural reaction, negatively changing the oil and water percentage balance. Alcohol concentrations should remain below 5 percent of the entire cream's volume for the best emulsion.