Universal and simple method for facile fabrication of sustainable high internal phase emulsions solely using meat protein particles with various pH values

Abstract

High internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) have recently been investigated for applications in food areas: plant proteins, polysaccharides, and commercial surfactants have been used as emulsifiers, but meat proteins have rarely been reported as emulsifiers for HIPEs. In this report, we describe an outstanding HIPE stabilized solely by meat protein particles. The natural stabilizer was prepared by a one-pot centrifugation process (3000×g, 20 min), and the HIPEs were fabricated by a simple one-pot homogenization process (5000 rpm/min, 1 min). The meat proteins could form homogeneous and stable HIPEs in the continuous phase over a wide pH range of 3–11. In this state, the HIPEs exhibited excellent stability in three conditions: heat, freeze-thaw, and storage (60 days). Interestingly, these natural stabilizers were also perfect combinations of soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, and n-hexane, and they exhibit the potential to act as nutrition delivery systems, animal fat replacements, partially hydrogenated oils, and other functional materials.