Absolute Zeta Potential Research Articles

Synthesis and investigation of acrylamide and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid copolymer-modified graphene oxide nanomaterials with intensive viscosification capacity: An experimental and molecular dynamics study

The polymer-modified nanomaterials with spontaneously generated cross-linked network greatly improve the dispersion viscosity, which is crucial for extending the sweep range and enhancing oil recovery. Recently, graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets have attracted extensive attention due to their high chemical reactivity and specific surface. In this paper, the AA molecule, synthesized by acrylamide (AM) and 2-acrylamido-2-methypropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) copolymerization, modified GO nanosheets (GAA) material is firstly synthesized and characterized. With the same content of AMPS segments, GAAn systems consistently exhibit better dispersion stability than AAn systems, along with higher absolute zeta potential values. The comprehensive investigation on the rheological property of GAA system reveals that GAA15 with the highest AMPS content exhibits the largest zero-shear viscosity (409.27 mPa·s) and the longest relaxation time. Based on the molecular dynamic simulation approaches, the aggregation morphology and stability of AA and GAA molecules are evaluated via the configuration analysis and the statistics of hydrogen bond numbers. The abundant binding sites from GO segments of GAA promote additional hydrogen bonds between GAA molecules and water, resulting in a more stable configuration. Molecular surface potential analysis and the independent gradient model based on Hirshfeld partition (IGMH) methods are further used to visualize the non-bonded interaction existed in cross-linked networks, which also predict and validate non-bonding interaction sites among molecular segments. The simulation results indicate higher viscosity in the GAA system should be ascribed to the formation of dispersion-strengthened cross-linked structures (AM-GO plane and GO-GO stacking segments). In summary, the microscopic viscosity-increasing mechanism of novel GAA system is proposed from the perspective of intermolecular interactions, which lays a preliminary theoretical foundation for the application of GAA material in the oil industry.

Clove leaf essential oil Pickering emulsion stabilized by octenyl succinic anhydride modified waxy maize starch: An eco-friendly alternative

Clove leaf essential oil (CEO) is renowned for its well-established bioactive properties, which makes it an element with high added-value, especially for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Nevertheless, its use is hindered by instability and limited water solubility. Therefore, this study aimed to overcome these challenges by developing a stable Pickering emulsion of clove leaf essential oil using octenyl succinic anhydride modified waxy maize starch (OSA starch) particles as stabilizing agent, providing an eco-friendly alternative to conventional surfactants. First, the experimental conditions for the development of two distinct emulsion were optimized using a Response Surface Methodology (RSM). As a result, slightly shear-thickening behavior emulsions were obtained, with droplet size from 1 to 6 μm, absolute zeta potential values above 30 mV, and an exceptional stability for more than a month. These aspects can be linked to the synergistic effect of chemical/electrostatic interaction between essential oil and OSA starch. Finally, both samples exhibited an outstanding antibacterial efficacy, with MBC/MIC values below 4, classifying them as bactericidal agents against some typical foodborne pathogens. Our results indicate that these Pickering emulsions have noteworthy properties that make them an additive with promising potential for application in the food industry.

The dispersibility of biphasic stabilized oil-in-water emulsions improved by the interaction between curdlan and soy protein isolate

Curdlan, a natural polysaccharide, exhibits emulsion-stabilizing and viscosity-modifying properties. However, when employed solely in the aqueous phase, curdlan's adhesive nature impedes droplet dispersion, resulting in a gel-like structure with limited applicability. This investigation formulated a biphasic stabilized oil-in-water emulsion by supplementing the oil phase with beeswax and the aqueous phase with curdlan and soy protein isolate (SPI). The addition of SPI transformed the structural characteristics from a gel-like to a mayonnaise-like structure. Maximal electrostatic repulsion was observed at an internal phase volume fraction of 30%, effectively precluding droplet aggregation owing to the absolute zeta potentials surpassing 40 mV. The emulsions displayed shear-thinning rheological behavior, with a higher storage modulus than the loss modulus, indicative of favorable elastic properties. Molecular docking revealed the predominant role of polar amino acids in facilitating hydrogen bond formation. This study provides a template for developing emulsions with biphasic stability and desirable dispersibility.

Role of ultrasonic freezing­treated pork dumpling filling during frozen storage: Insights from protein oxidation, aggregation, and functional properties

The effects of air freezing (AF), immersion freezing (IF), and ultrasonic freezing (UF) on the oxidation, aggregation, and functional properties of myofibrillar protein (MP) in pork dumpling filling during frozen storage were investigated. The findings demonstrated that, compared to AF and IF treatments, UF treatment had higher total and reactive sulfhydryl content, solubility, and absolute zeta potential. Conversely, it exhibited lower values in carbonyl content, dityrosine content, turbidity, and particle size within the same storage time (p < 0.05). SDS-PAGE revealed that UF treatment delayed the oxidation and excessive aggregation of MP during frozen storage. Moreover, samples treated with UF at 180 days (d) displayed similar functional and qualitative characteristics to those treated with IF at 90 d or AF at 60 d, as per the hierarchical cluster analysis findings. In conclusion, UF effectively delayed the oxidation, aggregation, and loss of functional properties of MP in pork dumpling filling during frozen storage.

Rheology and Printability of a Porcelain Clay Paste for DIW 3D Printing of Ceramics with Complex Geometric Structures.

The modeling of ceramics with complex geometric structures currently depends on the handcrafted mode, with long cycles, high costs, and low efficiency; additive manufacturing (AM) technology can solve this problem well. Herein, the porcelain clay paste was successfully prepared for the direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing process of ceramics with complex geometric structures, and the effects of sodium citrate (SC) content on the rheological properties and DIW 3D printability of the porcelain clay paste were investigated in detail. The SC has a vital role in the rheological behavior of porcelain clay paste. Adding SC increases the absolute zeta potential and decreases the viscosity of the paste, while a high SC content will lead to a low storage modulus of the paste. The porcelain clay paste with an SC content of 0.05% and a paste solid content of 75% possesses suitable rheological properties and a storage modulus for DIW 3D printing. The as-prepared porcelain clay paste has high DIW 3D printability at a pressure of 0.5 MPa, and a 3D-printed green body with a well-densified structure can be achieved. After being sintered, the 3D-printed ceramic exhibits high densification and mechanical properties. A green body with complex geometric structures is quickly and precisely modeled by the DIW 3D printing process with the resultant porcelain clay paste as the raw material. This work provides a practical approach to rapidly fabricating ceramics with complex geometrical structures.

Evaluating the binding mechanism, structural changes and stability of ternary complexes formed by the interaction of folic acid with whey protein concentrate-80 and L-ascorbyl 6-palmitate

In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms associated with the stabilizing effects of whey protein concentrate-80 (WPC80) and L-ascorbyl 6-palmitate (LAP) on folic acid (FA). Multispectral techniques show that WPC80 binds to FA and LAP mainly through hydrophobic interactions, and that energy is transferred from WPC80 to FA and LAP in a nonradiative form (FA/LAP); The combination of FA/LAP resulted in a change in the conformation and secondary structure content of WPC80, an increase in the absolute zeta potential of the system, and a shift in the particle size distribution towards smaller sizes. The compound system exhibits strengthened antioxidant properties and favorable binding properties. Besides, WPC80 improves the storage stability of FA under different conditions. These results demonstrated that the ternary complex formed by FA co-binding with WPC80 and LAP is an effective way to improve the stability against of FA.

Effects and mechanisms of ultrasound-assisted emulsification treatment on the curcumin delivery and digestive properties of myofibrillar protein-carboxymethyl cellulose complex emulsion gel

Different emulsion gel systems are widely applied to deliver functional ingredients. The effects and mechanisms of ultrasound-assisted emulsification (UAE) treatment and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) modifying the curcumin delivery properties and in vitro digestibility of the myofibrillar protein (MP)-soybean oil emulsion gels were investigated. The rheological properties, droplet size, protein and CMC distribution, ultrastructure, surface hydrophobicity, sulfhydryl groups, and zeta potential of emulsion gels were also measured. Results indicate that UAE treatment and CMC addition both improved curcumin encapsulation and protection efficiency in MP emulsion gel, especially for the UAE combined with CMC (UAE-CMC) treatment which encapsulation efficiency, protection efficiency, the release rate, and bioaccessibility of curcumin increased from 86.75 % to 97.67 %, 44.85 % to 68.85 %, 18.44 % to 41.78 %, and 28.68 % to 44.93 % respectively. The protein digestibility during the gastric stage was decreased after the CMC addition and UAE treatment, and the protein digestibility during the intestinal stage was reduced after the CMC addition. The fatty acid release rate was increased after CMC addition and UAE treatment. Apparent viscosity, storage modulus, and loss modulus were decreased after CMC addition while increased after UAE and UAE-CMC treatment especially the storage modulus increased from 0.26 Pa to 41 Pa after UAE-CMC treatment. The oil size was decreased, the protein and CMC concentration around the oil was increased, and a denser and uniform emulsion gel network structure was formed after UAE treatment. The surface hydrophobicity, free SH groups, and absolute zeta potential were increased after UAE treatment. The UAE-CMC treatment could strengthen the MP emulsion gel structure and decrease the oil size to increase the curcumin delivery properties, and hydrophobic and electrostatic interaction might be essential forces to maintain the emulsion gel.

Influence of IDS and SDS compound ratio on pore structure and wettability of bituminous coal and anthracite: Experimental and simulation discussion

The pore and wetting characteristics of bituminous coal and anthracite treated with different proportions of tetrasodium iminodisuccinate (IDS) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were measured. The pore structure characteristics of the coal were studied via low-temperature nitrogen adsorption analysis and the Frenkel-Halsey-Hill fractal theory. Zeta potential measurements were conducted to quantitatively analyze the degree of aggregation or dispersion of coal particles dissolved in solution. Changes in the coal surface morphology were observed and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that when the ratio of IDS:SDS is 1:3, the specific surface area (SSA) values of bituminous coal and anthracite are the lowest. The composite reagent has a greater effect on improving the pore structure of anthracite than bituminous coal. Compared with bituminous coal, anthracite has better pore connectivity and a wider pore network. The absolute zeta potentials of bituminous coal and anthracite reach the maximum at an IDS:SDS ratio of 1:3, with values of 91.08 mV and 91.35 mV, respectively. The electrostatic potential distributions of the molecules show that the advantages of the electrostatic potential difference with water molecules enable IDS and SDS molecules to effectively attract water molecules and form hydrogen bonds, thus revealing the optimization mechanism of coal wettability.

Characterisation of psyllium husk with different sizes and their effects on gel properties of surimi

SummaryPsyllium husk has attracted increasing interest in food applications due to its well‐known health benefits. Size reduction is an important mechanical operation used to tailor the functional properties of materials. In this study, the physicochemical properties and colloidal stability of the PHPs with different sizes were characterised by particle size distribution, zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Furthermore, the size effects of psyllium husk on surimi gel properties were investigated in terms of the gel strength, water‐holding capacity (WHC) and water distribution. The results found that milling changed the monosaccharide composition and increased the diffraction intensity of psyllium husk powder (PHP) without disrupting the β‐glycosidic linkages. Furthermore, the XPS results suggested that smaller samples showed more exposed surface functional groups. The PHP3 group with average size of d (0.5) = 259.50 μm exhibited the highest absolute zeta potential. The viscosity and zeta potential of PHP correlated positively and negatively with the gel strength of surimi, respectively. Moreover, the micronized PHP also contributed to the increase in immobilised water content and uniform water distribution in surimi gels. The high viscosity and colloidal stability of psyllium husk (PHP3 group) contributed to the improved mechanical properties of surimi gels. This work provides a valuable reference for the potential use of psyllium husk in quality improvement of surimi products through size control.

Stabilization of Pickering emulsions with bacterial cellulose nanofibrils (BCNFs) fabricated by electron beam irradiation

Bacterial cellulose (BC) had been considered as a promising Pickering stabilizer for its non-toxicity, high purity, and biocompatibility. The electron beam irradiation (EBI) technology had gained significant attention in the field of cellulose degradation due to its operational convenience and mild reaction conditions. Pickering emulsions using BC degraded by EBI as Pickering stabilizers were successfully prepared. Irradiated bacterial cellulose nanofibers (IBCNFs) exhibited a high aspect ratio(30–80 μm in length and 21–109 nm in width) and high absolute zeta potential (-50 mV). The optimal emulsification performance of IBCNFs was observed at an irradiation dosage of 100 kGy (IBC-100). The emulsions based on IBC-100 achieved an EI value of 96.15 ± 0.19%, while those based on IBC-500 obtained an EI value of 59.93 ± 1.47%. Stable Pickering emulsions were prepared when the concentration of IBC-100 stabilizer exceeded 0.3 wt% with a fixed oil phase of 30%, or when the rapeseed oil phase was below 50% while maintaining a fixed suspension of 0.5 wt% IBCNFs. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) demonstrated that IBCNFs facilitated the formation of a dense interfacial layer at the oil-water interface and formed a three-dimensional network within the water phase. Which effectively hindered the aggregation and flocculation between individual oil droplets. Furthermore, rheological findings demonstrated that emulsions possessed primarily exhibited properties of elasticity, and their gel strength could be enhanced by adjusting the irradiation dosages of IBCNFs. Moreover, environmental stability experiments indicated that IBCNFs-based emulsions exhibited exceedingly high temperature (20–80 °C) and pH tolerance (4–12). Flocculation occurred under high acid (pH = 2) conditions and at high ionic levels (≥ 40 mM NaCl), without causing disruption to the emulsion droplet structure. This study provided an innovative approach to preparing cellulose nanofibers with high aspect ratio, which could be utilized as emulsion stabilizers. The study also demonstrated that Pickering emulsions based on IBCNFs exhibit excellent stability and rheological properties. IBCNFs have promising potential to serve as a natural Pickering emulsifier for stabilizing oil-in-water emulsions in various food applications, cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations.

Enhancing soy protein isolate gels: Combined control of pH and surface charge for improved structural integrity and gel strength

The application of sophisticated technologies to enhance soy protein isolate (SPI) gelation in the industry faces limitations due to high costs and technical intricacies. This investigation examined how different combinations of pH pretreatment and NaCl concentration affect the gel properties of SPI. Decreasing pH and increasing NaCl concentration caused soy protein particle sizes to increase in the solution due to reduced electrostatic repulsion. Additionally, decreasing pH and increasing NaCl concentration reduced the absolute zeta potential, promoting particle collisions and aggregation in SPI solutions and influencing gel strength. Rheological studies showed that lowering pH levels decreased gelation temperatures and increased gel strength. However, extreme pH levels compromised gel integrity, impacting water-holding capacity and microstructure. Supplementing SPI pretreated at pH 6.0 with 100 mM NaCl notably boosted the gel strength compared to other pretreatment methods. Further solvent analyses revealed that interactions governing gel strength-hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions emerged as crucial contributors. This comprehensive investigation sheds light on the intricate interplay of factors influencing SPI gel formation, providing crucial insights for future industrial-scale applications.

Experimental study of adsorption/desorption and enhanced recovery of shale oil and gas by zwitterionic surfactants

Shale reservoirs have the characteristics of low permeability and low porosity. In order to enhance the recovery of shale oil and gas, surfactant flooding is a mature reservoir oil recovery method. However, the adsorption of different surfactants on the reservoir rock surface is restricted, depending on the type of surfactant. Therefore, a zwitterionic surfactant (OPHS) was synthesized from oleic acid, 3-dimethylaminopropylamine and sodium 3-chloro-2hydroxypropanesulfonate, and characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, and TGA, and the mechanism of the OPHS for enhancing oil and gas recovery on shale surfaces was investigated. The results showed that the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of OPHS surfactant solution is 7.9 × 10-4 mol/L and the γCMC is 27.5 mN/m; the concentration of 0.1 % OPHS surfactant solution could reduce the contact angle of the cores from 127.2° to 38.8°, which resulted in spontaneous imbibition; The absolute Zeta potential of shale particles in the OPHS surfactant solution was measured at 39 mV, whereas in deionized water at 15.3 mV. This difference can be attributed to the formation of a stable hydration film on the surface of shale particles induced by the wetting reversal effect. Spontaneous imbibition experiments showed that a 0.1 % solution of OPHS surfactant was able to increase the recovery rate by more than four times compared to the imbibition solution without added surfactant; In high-pressure gas adsorption/desorption experiments, the OPHS surfactant solution demonstrated a higher affinity for adsorption onto the shale surface. It effectively occupied adsorption sites, ultimately facilitating methane gas desorption from the shale. In summary, OPHS zwitterionic surfactants exhibit the capability to desorb hydrocarbons from shale pores through mechanisms such as wetting reversal and competitive adsorption. This research holds significant potential for advancing the field of shale oil and gas recovery, providing valuable insights for enhancing recovery processes.

High-pressure microfluidisation positively impacts structural properties and improves functional characteristics of almond proteins obtained from almond meal

Almond protein isolate (API) obtained from almond meal was processed using dynamic high-pressure microfluidisation (0, 40, 80, 120, and 160 MPa pressure; single pass). Microfluidisation caused significant reductions in the particle size and increased absolute zeta potential. SDS-PAGE analysis indicated reduction in band intensity and the complete disappearance of bands beyond 80 MPa. Structural analysis (by circular dichroism, UV–Vis, and intrinsic-fluorescence spectra) of the API revealed disaggregation (up to 80 MPa) and then re-aggregation beyond 80 MPa. Significant increments in protein digestibility (1.16-fold) and the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS; 1.15-fold) were observed for the API (80 MPa) than control. Furthermore, significant improvements (P < 0.05) in the functional properties were observed, viz., the antioxidant activity, protein solubility, and emulsifying properties. Overall, the results revealed that moderate microfluidisation treatment (80 MPa) is an effective and sustainable technique for enhancing physico-chemical and functional attributes of API, thus potentially enabling its functional food/nutraceuticals application.

Effects of low-frequency magnetic field on solubility, structural and functional properties of soy 11S globulin.

Soy 11S globulin has high thermal stability, limiting its application in the production of low-temperature gel foods. In this study, the low-frequency magnetic field (LF-MF, 5 mT) treatment (time, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min) was used to improve the solubility, conformation, physicochemical properties, surface characteristics, and gel properties of soy 11S globulin. Compared with the native soy 11S globulin, the sulfhydryl content, emulsifying capacity, gel strength, water-holding capacity, and absolute zeta potential values significantly increased (P < 0.05) after LF-MF treatment. The LF-MF treatment induced the unfolding of the protein structure and the fracture of disulfide bonds. The variations in solubility, foaming properties, viscosity, surface hydrophobicity, and rheological properties were closely related to the conformational changes of soy 11S globulin, with the optimum LF-MF modification time being 90 min. LF-MF treatment is an effective method to improve various functional properties of native soy 11S globulin, and this study provides a reference for the development of plant-based proteins in the food industry. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Engineering marine phospholipid nanoliposomes via glycerol-infused proliposomes: Mechanisms, strategies, and versatile applications in scalable food-grade nanoliposome production

This study presents a novel approach using polyol-based proliposome to produce marine phospholipids nanoliposomes. Proliposomes were formulated by blending glycerol with phospholipids across varying mass ratios (2:1 to 1:10) at room temperature. Analysis employing polarized light microscopy, FTIR, and DSC revealed that glycerol disrupted the stacked acyl groups within phospholipids, lowering the phase transition temperature (Tm). Krill oil phospholipids (KOP) proliposomes exhibited superior performance in nanoliposomes formation, with a mean diameter of 125.60 ± 3.97 nm, attributed to the decreased Tm (−7.64 and 7.00 °C) compared to soybean phospholipids, along with a correspondingly higher absolute zeta potential (−39.77 ± 1.18 mV). The resulting KOP proliposomes demonstrated liposomes formation stability over six months and under various environmental stresses (dilution, thermal, ionic strength, pH), coupled with in vitro absorption exceeding 90 %. This investigation elucidates the mechanism behind glycerol-formulated proliposomes and proposes innovative strategies for scalable, solvent-free nanoliposome production with implications for functional foods and pharmaceutical applications.

Comparison of the physical stability, microstructure and protein-lipid co-oxidation of O/W emulsions stabilized by l-arginine/l-lysine-modified soy protein hydrolysate

This work investigated the physical stability, microstructure, and oxidative stability of the emulsions prepared by soy protein hydrolysate (SPH) after modification with different concentrations of l-arginine and l-lysine. l-Arginine and l-lysine significantly increased the absolute zeta potential values, and decreased droplet sizes of the emulsions, thereby improving the physical stability of the emulsions. Meanwhile, l-arginine and l-lysine markedly decreased the apparent viscosity of the emulsions. The measurement of interfacial protein adsorption percentage showed that l-arginine (≤0.5 %) promoted the adsorption of SPH at the oil–water interface, whereas l-lysine (≤1%) reduced the adsorption of SPH at the oil–water interface. In addition, l-arginine and l-lysine (≤0.5 %) could retard lipid and protein oxidation. Correlation analysis indicated that the improvement in the physical stability of the emulsions by l-arginine and l-lysine also enhanced the oxidative stability of the emulsions. In summary, l-arginine and l-lysine could be effective modifiers for the protein-based emulsion systems.

Improving the functional properties of rice glutelin: impact of succinic anhydride modification

SummaryRice glutelin is poorly soluble which restricts its potential food application. Succinylation is a chemical modification that improves the solubility of proteins by derivatising the ɛ‐amino group of lysine residues. In this study, rice glutelin was modified by succinic anhydride at different succinic anhydride concentrations (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%). The succinylated rice glutelin samples showed enhanced solubility, reduced particle size, and increased absolute zeta potential values. The emulsifying and foaming properties of succinylated rice glutelin were also significantly improved. Moreover, SEM revealed that the surface of succinylated rice glutelin had small pits and protrusions. These results suggest that succinylation can effectively improve the functional properties of rice glutelin, which will facilitate its application in the food industry.

Combined effects of high-intensity ultrasound treatment and hydrogen peroxide addition on the thermal stabilities of myofibrillar protein emulsions at low ionic strengths

In this study, the effects of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) treatment combined with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) addition on the thermal stability of myofibrillar protein (MP)–stabilized emulsions in low-salt conditions were investigated. Results showed that compared to using either HIU or H2O2 treatment alone, HIU treatment combined with H2O2 was most effective in enhancing the physical stability of emulsions. Moreover, the emulsion stabilized by MPs co-treated with HIU and H2O2 exhibited the most uniform distribution, highest absolute zeta potential, and optimal rheological properties upon heating. This combination effect during heating was caused by the inhibition of disulfide bond cross-linking of myosin heads by H2O2 and the dissociation of filamentous myosin structures using the HIU treatment. In addition, the results of oxidative stability analysis indicated that the addition of H2O2 increased the content of oxidation products; however, the overall influence on the oxidative stability of emulsions was not significant. In conclusion, the combination of HIU and H2O2 treatment is a promising approach to suppress heat-induced MP aggregation and improve the thermal stability of corresponding emulsions.

Experimental and theoretical insight into the effect of a novel composite dispersant on the properties of coal pitch water slurry

To optimize the utilization efficiency of coal pitch (CP), an innovative composite dispersant was designed and employed in the preparation of coal pitch water slurry (CPWS) by effectively combining modified sodium lignosulfonate (MLS) and amphoteric polycarboxylate (AAD) based on the principle of complementary advantages. The effects of the proportion of MLS to AAD on the characteristics of CPWS were systematically analyzed and assessed by various technical methods, including apparent viscosity, rheological behavior, static stability, adsorption behavior, etc. Results indicated that the CPWSs utilizing distinct composite dispersants belonged to the category of yield pseudoplastic fluids and had a good correlation with the Herschel-Bulkley model. Among them, the CD-2, composite dispersant with a mass ratio of MLS:AAD = 1:1, exhibited superior performance in terms of viscosity reduction and stabilization properties. It demonstrated the maximum adsorption capacity (5.23 mg/g) and adsorption layer thickness (7.22 nm) compared to other dispersants. Meanwhile, it could significantly increase the wettability (with a contact angle of 74.5°) and the absolute Zeta potential value (32.5 mV) of CP. The density functional theory (DFT), molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and extended Derjaguin-Landua-Verwey-Overbeek (eDLVO) theory were carried out to investigate the interaction mechanism of composite dispersant with CP and the interaction energy among CP particles. The differences in energy levels between the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and the highest occupied molecular orbital (HUMO) of MLS and AAD were significantly smaller than that of H2O. The hydrophobic groups of composite dispersants were efficiently adsorbed onto CP, while the hydrophilic groups adsorbed water molecules, with an adsorption energy reaching −169.36 kcal/mol. The steric hindrance of composite dispersant exerted a crucial influence on the dispersion of CPWS, enabling CP particles to be stabilized in water. The present study offers a novel approach to enhance the characteristics of CPWS and establishes a theoretical foundation for the design of efficient composite dispersants.

Unveiling the contribution of Osborne protein fractions to the physicochemical and functional properties of alkaline and enzymatically extracted green lentil proteins

AbstractLentil proteins are gaining popularity as food ingredients, serving both functional and nutritional purposes. To better understand the properties of lentil proteins extracted using commercially relevant methods (alkaline and enzymatic), sequential fractionation by solubility (Osborne fractionation) was performed and the physicochemical, thermal, and functional properties of the extracts were characterized. Fractionation revealed that 43% of lentil proteins were water‐soluble (ALB, albumin‐rich), 37% salt‐soluble (GLO, globulin‐rich), 14% alkaline‐soluble (GLU, glutelin‐rich), and 3% ethanol‐soluble (PRO, prolamin‐rich). Protein extraction yields of 81% and 87% were achieved by alkaline (pH 9.0, 50 °C, 1:10 solids‐to‐liquid ratio, 60 min) and enzymatic extraction (same conditions with 0.5% (w/w) Alkaline Protease), respectively. Proteomic analysis allowed for the identification of 129 proteins among all extracts, and the ALB and GLO fractions exhibited similar protein profiles as the alkaline‐extracted proteins. The secondary structure of the protein fractions was dominated by β‐sheets (20%–35%) and unordered structures (45%–48%). Surface hydrophobicity and absolute zeta potential were negatively correlated (R2 = 0.82, p &lt; 0.05). ALB and GLO fractions had higher denaturation temperatures than the alkaline/enzymatically‐extracted proteins, potentially due to partial denaturation. ALB and GLO fractions also had the highest solubility and emulsification capacities. Under acidic conditions, enzymatically‐extracted proteins exhibited better solubility (58 vs. 33%), emulsification (499 vs. 403 g oil/g dry sample), and similar foaming capacity (57%–69%) compared to alkaline‐extracted proteins. This study showed that alkaline and enzymatically extracted lentil proteins share physicochemical and functional characteristics with water‐ and salt‐extracted proteins, demonstrating the efficacy of these single‐stage extraction strategies in achieving high yields and desirable functionality.