What is the process of blending ingredients to make a mayonnaise creamy called?

The process of blending ingredients to make mayonnaise creamy is called emulsification.

Here's why:

* Emulsion: An emulsion is a mixture of two liquids that normally don't mix together, like oil and water. In mayonnaise, the oil droplets are dispersed throughout the water-based ingredients (egg yolk, vinegar, etc.)

* Creamy: The creamy texture comes from the small, stable oil droplets created during emulsification. These droplets are evenly dispersed and create a smooth, velvety mouthfeel.

How emulsification works:

* Egg yolk: Egg yolk acts as an emulsifier because it contains lecithin, a substance that has both water-loving (hydrophilic) and oil-loving (hydrophobic) properties.

* Blending: The vigorous blending forces the oil and water-based ingredients to mix, breaking the oil into tiny droplets. The lecithin molecules coat these droplets, preventing them from re-coalescing.

* Stability: The resulting emulsion is stable, meaning the oil droplets stay dispersed, giving the mayonnaise its creamy texture.

So, the key to making creamy mayonnaise lies in the process of emulsification.