The modern food emulsifier was invented by the founder of Palsgaard, Einar Viggo Schou in 1917 at the Palsgaard Estate in Juelsminde, Denmark.
Danish-born businessman Einar had returned to his homeland after a successful career in the English margarine industry and set up a simple hobby laboratory on his new estate and spent hours poring over calculations and formulations. His discovery was to change the food manufacturing industry forever.
At the time, emulsifiers for food had traditionally been derived from lecithin from eggs, egg whites or milk proteins mixed with other substances.
Einars’ new invention was named “Palsgaard Emulsion Oil” and a new era began in the food manufacturing industry.
Palsgaard begins
Manufacturers obtained an entirely new understanding of what was occurring at a chemical and functional level, allowing different raw materials and emulsion types to be brought into recipe development. They were able to achieve a level of consistency in their production which was previously unattainable – even on antiquated machinery.
Soon after patenting his “Palsgaard Emulsion Oil”, Einar built a new factory and founded the company Palsgaard, which is still located on the same site as the original invention.
Learn more in the video below.
