What Are Non-Aqueous Foam Agents?

Yeast is a non-aqueous foaming agent in the baking process. Non-aqueous foaming agents are materials used to initiate or control the amount of foaming in environments that do not use water or where the use of water would be problematic. Gas and hydrocarbon-based foaming agents are among the most commonly used non-aqueous foaming agents. They are widely used in food processing, fermentation, anti-freeze, petroleum refining, textile manufacture, cosmetics and many other industrial applications. There are many benefits to be derived from the use of foaming agents, including cost savings and manufacturing, production and process efficiencies.

Foam

• Foam is a dispersion of gas in a liquid or solid. The gas most commonly used to create foam is air. An example of a foam is a carbonated beverage, which is a foam of carbon dioxide gas in a liquid beverage. Foaming takes place naturally in many manufacturing processes. Materials that are used to promote or suppress foaming are known as foaming agents. The foaming process can be a physical change or a chemical reaction.

Baked Goods

• Baked products, such as breads, cakes and pizza bases are examples of foams. The foaming agent is the raising agent or leavening agent, such as yeast, which releases carbon dioxide gas into the mixture during the baking process. The gas, combined with trapped air, attempts to escape from the mixture when heated, resulting in a baked foam. The process involves a chemical reaction and is not reversible, which means that baked goods are a form of permanent foam.

MASURF FS-910

• MASURF FS-910 is an oligomer in a hydrocarbon solution, manufactured by the Mason Chemical Company, which serves as a surfactant and a non-aqueous foaming agent. An oligomer is a substance that is formed from the joining of a few smaller molecules. MASURF FS-910 is also used as a surface protectant and as a coating solution.

Inert Gases

• Hydrophilic polyurethane gels are combined with non-aqueous foaming agents in the form of inert gases such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, air and combinations of these and are used in the health care industry for the treatment of wounds. The gels can be combined with other suitable non-aqueous foaming agents in the form of solvents such as ketones, esters and alkanes. The non-aqueous foaming agents help to prevent excess moisture and infection in the wounds.