When Does Emulsification Occur?

When bile enters the small intestine, it will mix with the fat globules and will cause them to break down into smaller units called emulsion droplets. This process is called emulsification. Emulsification greatly increases the surface area of the fat on which the lipase can actually act on.

Where does emulsification occur?

The emulsification of fats takes place in the liver in which the larger fat molecules are converted into smaller fat globules. These salts are secreted in the liver and then stored in the gallbladder.

How does emulsification occur?

Although oil and water can't mix, we can break oil down into teeny-tiny droplets that can remain suspended in the water. An emulsion happens when small droplets of one solution (the dispersed solution, which is often oil based) are dispersed throughout another (the continuous solution, which is often water based).