One example of Ostwald ripening is the re-crystallization of water within ice cream which gives old ice cream a gritty, crunchy texture. Larger ice crystals grow at the expense of smaller ones within the ice cream, creating a coarser texture.
Another gastronomical example is the ouzo effect, where the droplets in the cloudy microemulsion grow by Ostwald ripening.
In geology, it is the textural coarsening, aging or growth of phenocrysts and crystals in solid rock which is below the solidus temperature. It is often ascribed as a process in the formation of orthoclase megacrysts, as an alternative to the physical processes governing crystal growth from nucleation and growth rate thermochemical limitations.
In aqueous solution chemistry and precipitates ageing, the term refers to the growth of larger crystals from those of smaller size which have a higher solubility than the larger ones. In the process, many small crystals formed initially (nuclei) slowly disappear, except for a few that grow larger, at the expense of the small crystals (crystal growth). The smaller crystals act as fuel for the growth of bigger crystals. Limiting Ostwald ripening is fundamental in modern technology for the solution synthesis of quantum dots. Ostwald ripening is also the key process in the digestion and aging of precipitates, an important step in gravimetric analysis. The digested precipitate is generally purer, and easier to wash and filter.
Ostwald ripening can also occur in emulsion systems, with molecules diffusing from small droplets to large ones through the continuous phase. When a miniemulsion is desired, an extremely hydrophobic compound is added to stop this process from taking place.
Diffusional growth of larger drops in liquid water clouds in the atmosphere at the expense of smaller drops is also characterized as Ostwald ripening.