Influence of Environmental Stresses on Stability of O/W Emulsions Containing Cationic Droplets Stabilized by SDS−Fish Gelatin Membranes

Abstract

Oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions containing small oil droplets (d32 approximately 0.22 microm) stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-fish gelatin (FG) membranes were produced by an electrostatic deposition technique. A primary emulsion containing anionic SDS-coated droplets (zeta approximately -40 mV) was prepared by homogenizing oil and emulsifier solution using a high-pressure valve homogenizer (20 wt % corn oil, 0.46 wt % SDS, 100 mM acetic acid, pH 3.0). A secondary emulsion containing cationic SDS-FG-coated droplets (zeta approximately +30 mV) was formed by diluting the primary emulsion with an aqueous fish gelatin solution (10 wt % corn oil, 0.23 wt % SDS, 100 mM acetic acid, 2.00 wt % fish gelatin, pH 3.0). The stabilities of primary and secondary emulsions with the same oil concentration to thermal processing, ionic strength, and pH were assessed by measuring particle size distribution, zeta potential, microstructure, destabilized oil, and creaming stability. The droplets in secondary emulsions had good stability to droplet aggregation at holding temperatures from 30 to 90 degrees C for 30 min, [NaCl] < or = 100 mM, and pH values from 3 to 8. This study shows that the ability to generate emulsions containing droplets stabilized by multilayer interfacial membranes comprised of two or more types of emulsifiers, rather than a single interfacial layer comprised of one type of emulsifier, may lead to the development of food products with improved stability to environmental stresses.