Abstract: In this study, the effects of adding mixtures of mono- and di-fatty acid glycerides and Tween 80 with different hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) values on the stability and whipping characteristics of cream were studied, and the hardness, whipping rate, apparent viscosity, stability, and microstructure of the cream samples were detected. The results showed that with the increase in HLB value, the apparent viscosity of the emulsion decreased, and shear thinning occurred in all cream samples. The centrifugal creaming rate and turbiscan stability index (TSI) decreased first and then increased, and so did the absolute value of zeta potential. The results of whipping characteristics analysis showed that with the increase in HLB value, the whipping time and whipping rate of cream decreased, and the hardness after whipping increased first and then decreased, reaching a maximum of 1 150.1 g when the HLB value was 9. At HLB values in the range of 9–11, cream exhibited a shorter whipping time, higher whipping hardness, appropriate whipping rate, and good mounting performance with no collapse or deformation. Meanwhile, the microstructure showed that the size of the cream bubbles was relatively uniform after whipping, and the fat globules around the bubbles were dense and close to each other, thus forming a better network structure to protect the bubbles and make the foam more stable. Therefore, the HLB value of mixed emulsifiers should be controlled in the range of 9–11 to obtain cream with good stability and whipping characteristics.

Key words: cream; hydrophilic lipophilic balance; whipping characteristics; stability; mixed emulsifiers