The hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) is a numerical scale used to measure the balance between the hydrophilic (water-attracting) and lipophilic (oil-attracting) properties of surfactants or emulsifiers. This balance is crucial because it helps predict how well an emulsifier can stabilize emulsions by determining its affinity for either water or oil, which directly influences the stability and texture of the final product.
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