Name three emulsifying agents and give an example of a sauce that uses each.

• A. Butter — mayonnaise; Salt — vinaigrettes; Water — emulsions such as certain dressings and chocolate coatings.
• B. Gelatin — mayonnaise; Tapioca — vinaigrettes; Pectin — processed emulsions such as dressings and chocolate coatings.
• C. Egg yolks — mayonnaise, hollandaise; Mustard — vinaigrettes and some dressings; Lecithin from soy or egg — processed emulsions such as certain dressings and chocolate coatings.
• D. Cream — mayonnaise; Vinegar — vinaigrettes; Oil — emulsions like dressings.

Answer: (C)

Emulsifying agents are substances that help mix oil and water and keep the droplets from separating. Egg yolks are the classic example because they contain lecithin, a powerful emulsifier that forms a stable film around oil droplets, which is why mayonnaise and hollandaise turn out smooth and cohesive. Mustard also helps emulsify vinaigrettes and dressings; its components create a cap that helps disperse oil in water and improve stability. Lecithin from soy or egg is widely used in processed emulsions to stabilize mixtures in products like certain dressings and chocolate coatings.

So three emulsifiers tied to real sauces are: egg yolks for mayonnaise and hollandaise; mustard for vinaigrettes and some dressings; and lecithin for processed emulsions such as dressings and chocolate coatings. The other options don’t reflect true culinary emulsifiers in the same reliable way—for example, butter or water don’t act as stable emulsifiers in these sauces, and gelatin, tapioca, or pectin are more about thickening or gelling than stabilizing oil-and-water emulsions.