Food-grade Emulsions Research Articles

Food-Grade Pickering Emulsions Stabilized by Ultrasound-Treated Foxtail Millet Prolamin: Characterization and In Vitro Release Behavior of Curcumin

To date, extensive studies have focused on developing proteins as stabilizers to fabricate food-grade emulsions for encapsulating bioactive compounds aimed at targeted delivery. This paper aimed to develop a novel stabilizer using foxtail millet prolamin (FMP) to fabricate medium internal-phase Pickering emulsions (MIPEs) and investigate the stability and in vitro release behavior of curcumin (Cur) encapsulated within the MIPEs. Ultrasound treatment modified the secondary and tertiary structures of FMP, along with its particle size, zeta potential, and wettability, enhancing its functionality as a stabilizer for MIPEs. The MIPEs stabilized by 65% ultrasound-treated FMP (FMP-U) exhibited better rheological properties and stability, significantly improving the storage stability and antioxidant activity of Cur. In vitro digestion results demonstrated that the MIPEs delayed the release of Cur, achieving a final release rate of 84.0 ± 1.47% after 4 h of gastrointestinal digestion and the DPPH radical scavenging activity (RSA) of 39.9 ± 1.31%, which was notably higher than the RSA of free Cur in oil at only 5.8 ± 1.37%. Moreover, MIPEs with Cur increased the bioaccessibility of Cur. This study provides new insights into a novel delivery system designed with FMP-U for encapsulating hydrophobic compounds, thereby enhancing their stability, sustained release, and bioaccessibility.

Development and Characterization of Novel Green Cutting Fluids with Nano-additives

In this current investigation, novel cutting fluids developed through a unique combination of food grade emulsifiers, plant based additives (EA) and nano particles (NP) as cutting fluid additives in corn oil (CO) based vegetable oil. Five dissimilar corn-based green cutting fluids (CBGC1, CBGC2, CBGC3, CBGC4, CBGC5) were prepared by varying the weight percentages (wt.%) of EAs (5, 10, 15, 20, 25) with CO, and their thermo-physical properties were meticulously analyzed. Among these formulations, CBGC2 demonstrated superior lubrication performance, making it the most promising oil for further investigation. Subsequently, the effect of different NP was investigated by adding alumina (Al2O3), graphene (Gr) and multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) NPs in the CBGC2 solution in the ratio of 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 in weight percent (wt.%) and the experimental results reveal substantial enhancements in thermophysical properties. Among various samples, the nanofluid containing 0.8 wt.% concentration of Al2O3 nanoparticles in CBGC2 exhibited the highest viscosity. Additionally, the thermal conductivity of the nanofluid enhanced by 24.82% when 1.2 wt.% of Gr nanoparticles added oil compared to CBGC2. Furthermore, in tribological tests, CBGC2 with 0.4% Al2O3 exhibited the lowest frictional force among the prepared cutting fluids. The contact angle reduced to a maximum extent by 11.14% for cutting fluids containing 1.2% alumina nanoparticles. These findings suggest that these innovative green cutting fluid formulations with nano-additives hold great potential for improving machining processes in various industrial applications towards sustainability.

Wide pH, Adaptable High Internal Phase Pickering Emulsion Stabilized by a Crude Polysaccharide from Thesium chinense Turcz.

The ultrasound-assisted extraction conditions of Thesium chinense Turcz. crude polysaccharide (TTP) were optimized, and a TTP sample with a yield of 11.9% was obtained. TTP demonstrated the ability to stabilize high-internal-phase oil-in-water emulsions with an oil phase volume reaching up to 80%. Additionally, the emulsions stabilized by TTP were examined across different pH levels, ionic strengths, and temperatures. The results indicated that the emulsions stabilized by TTP exhibited stability over a wide pH range of 1-11. The emulsion remained stable under ionic strengths of 0-500 mM and temperatures of 4-55 °C. The microstructure of the emulsions was observed using confocal laser scanning microscopy, and the stabilization mechanism of the emulsion was hypothesized. Soluble polysaccharides formed a network structure in the continuous phase, and the insoluble polysaccharides dispersed in the continuous phase, acting as a bridge structure, which worked together to prevent oil droplet aggregation. This research was significant for developing a new food-grade emulsifier with a wide pH range of applicability.

Formulating plant-based hexosomes for the sustained delivery of food proteins

Hexosomes (HEXs) are nanoparticles formed by dispersing a lipid reverse hexagonal phase in water. Although they have attracted a great interest in the development of delivery systems, few lipids have been employed in their production. Galactolipids, especially monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), are the main lipid constituents of plants and can be obtained from vegetal biomass, making them good candidates for the obtention of HEXs. In this work, the aqueous phase behavior of MGDG from sweet potato leaves was investigated and the resulting hexagonal phase was downsized into HEXs with the aid of stabilizer decaglycerol monooleate (DGMO), a food-grade emulsifier from vegetable oils. The nanoparticles presented enhanced long-term colloidal stability in different storage conditions and their inner liquid crystalline structure could be tuned by the amount of DGMO employed. Moreover, by adding sodium oleate (NaO) HEXs displayed enhanced loading efficiency of lysozyme, an edible protein with biological properties. Finally, the sustained release of incorporated protein could be finely tuned by changing HEXs composition. Collectively, the results demonstrate, for the first time, the viability of producing biobased, renewable sourced galactolipid hexosomes with potential applications in the development of functional foods, also contributing to a sustainable management of biomass waste.

Study on the interactions and interfacial behaviors of cellulose nanocrystal/β-lactoglobulin complexes for pickering emulsions

Pickering emulsions stabilized by polysaccharides and protein complexes have attracted increasing attention. Exploring their interfacial activities and adsorption behaviors at the oil–water interface is of great significance for deepening our understanding of the emulsification mechanism and improving the properties of polysaccharide/protein-stabilized emulsions. Here, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with rod-like structures and spherical β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) proteins were selected as representative stabilizers. We initially investigated the interaction between the 2 at pH 2.0–7.0 through a multiscale approach. Then, oil–water interfacial tension tests were used to assess the interfacial activities of CNCs and β-LG, revealing that β-LG exerted primary influence over the interfacial behavior in their complexes. Meanwhile, quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation was used to monitor the interfacial adsorption behaviors of CNCs, β-LG, and CNC/β-LG complexes, demonstrating that the interfacial layer formed by the CNC/β-LG complexes on the oil film (∼696.7 ng/cm2) was thicker and more stable compared with that formed by individual CNCs (∼48.4 ng/cm2) or β-LG (∼87.1 ng/cm2). Finally, we applied the CNC/β-LG complexes as stabilizers in Pickering emulsions and the emulsions prepared with the complexes at concentrations above 0.8 wt% exhibited storage stability for up to 28 d which confirmed their exceptional emulsifying ability and practical value. This study provides profound insights into the interfacial behavior of polysaccharide–protein complexes in Pickering emulsions and is expected to facilitate the design of novel food-grade emulsifiers.

Food-grade emulsion gels and oleogels prepared by all-natural dual nanofibril system from citrus fiber and glycyrrhizic acid

The natural dual nanofibril system consisting of the rigid semicrystalline nanofibrils disintegrated from citrus fiber (CF) and soft semiflexible nanofibrils self-assembled from glycyrrhizic acid (GA) has been recently shown to be effective structural building blocks for fabrication of emulsion gels. In this work, the effect of the CF nanofibrils prepared by different mechanical disintegration approaches (i.e., high-pressure microfluidization and hydrodynamic cavitation) on the interfibrillar CF-GA interactions and the subsequent formation and properties of emulsion gels were investigated, with the aim of evaluating the potential of the dual nanofibril-stabilized emulsion gels as templates for synthesizing all-natural edible oleogels. The obtained results demonstrate that compared to the cavitation, the high-pressure microfluidization is more capable of generating CF nanofibrils with a higher degree of nanofibrillation and individualization, thus forming a denser CF-GA gel network with higher viscoelasticity and structural stability due to the stronger multiple intrafibrillar and interfibrillar interactions. The emulsion gels stabilized by the dual nanofibril system are demonstrated to be an efficient template to fabricate solid-like oleogels, and the structural properties of the oleogels can be well tuned by the mechanical disintegration of CF and the GA nanofibril concentration. The prepared oleogels possess high oil loading capacity, dense network microstructure, superior rheological and large deformation compression performances, and satisfactory thermal stability, which is attributed to the compact and ordered CF-GA dual nanofibrillar network via multiple hydrogen-bonding interactions in the continuous phase as well as at the droplet surface. This study highlights the unique use of all-natural dual nanofibrils to develop oil structured soft materials for sustainable applications.

Design Optimization of emulsions based on fine fraction of durum wheat oil cake: Structural and rheological properties

The production and stabilization of food-grade emulsions by using plant-derived particles have gained great attention due to the increasing demand for sustainable and plant-based alternatives. This study aims to explore the feasibility of using durum wheat oil and durum wheat oil cake, micronized and dry-fractioned (ff-DWOC), with no further chemical treatments, to produce emulsion gels. The emulsions obtained through a design of experiments (DoE) for mixture were analysed for their textural properties. The results of the textural parameters were subsequently modelled according to quadratic model. The nine emulsions were then characterized for their creaming index during 14 days of storage. The three most promising emulsions in terms of textural properties and creaming stability, were then characterized for their microstructure and rheological properties. The formulations with higher proportions of ff-DWOC and durum wheat oil affected the textural parameters, minimizing syneresis phenomena and serum phase separation, then resulting in excellent creaming stability over 14 days of storage. The emulsions containing 25% of ff-DWOC and 20 and 30% of oil displayed homogenous distribution of the oil droplets and a well-developed network, while emulsion with 15% ff-DWOC and 40% of oil (E7) showed a dense and compact continuous phase. According to the rheological results, the emulsions mentioned above exhibited a gel-like structures with G’ > G’‘. E7 had the highest G′ and G″ values, indicating a marked solid-like behaviour. These emulsions demonstrated compelling attributes, positioning them as strong contenders for incorporation into the food industry as innovative ingredients.

New Insight into Food-Grade Emulsions: Candelilla Wax-Based Oleogels as an Internal Phase of Novel Vegan Creams.

Cream-type emulsions containing candelilla wax-based oleogels (EC) were analyzed for their physicochemical properties compared to palm oil-based creams (EP). The microstructure, rheological behavior, stability, and color of the creams were determined by means of non-invasive and invasive techniques. All the formulations exhibited similar color parameters in CIEL*a*b* space, unimodal-like size distribution of lipid particles, and shear-thinning properties. Oleogel-based formulations were characterized by higher viscosity (consistency index: 172-305 mPa·s, macroscopic viscosity index: 2.19-3.08 × 10-5 nm-2) and elasticity (elasticity index: 1.09-1.45 × 10-3 nm-2), as well as greater resistance to centrifugal force compared to EP. Creams with 3, 4, or 5% wax (EC3-5) showed the lowest polydispersity indexes (PDI: 0.80-0.85) 24 h after production and the lowest instability indexes after environmental temperature changes (heating at 90 °C, or freeze-thaw cycle). EC5 had particularly high microstructural stability. In turn, candelilla wax content ≥ 6% w/w accelerated the destabilization processes of the cream-type emulsions due to disintegration of the interfacial layer by larger lipid crystals. It was found that candelilla wax-based lipids had great potential for use as palm oil substitutes in the development of novel vegan cream analogues.

Fabrication and characterization of W1/O/W2 double emulsions stabilized with Pleurotus geesteranus protein particles via one-step emulsification

In this study, Pleurotus geesteranus protein isolate (PPI) with low solubility in water was fabricated into nanoparticle (PPIP) that can be uniformly dispersed in pH 7.0 aqueous solution using pH cycle method. PPIP with a zeta potential of −19.21 mV had a mean size of 250.53 nm and two main peaks in particle size distribution profile. This was consistent with the TEM results, which existed both as individual particles and as particle aggregates. The main force responsible for maintaining the structure of protein particles was hydrogen bonding. Interestingly, these protein particles were successfully utilized to fabricate W1/O/W2 double emulsions using one-step homogenous emulsification, and the formation and properties of PPIP-stabilized W1/O/W2 double emulsions were significantly influenced by the protein particle concentration, oil content, and salt concentration in W2 continuous phase. Specifically, higher particle concentration and salt concentration caused a reduction in the number of W1/O droplets and the size of oil droplets. Conversely, an increase in oil content increased the number of W1/O droplets primarily due to the augmentation in the size of oil droplets. The gel strength of double emulsions was enhanced with particle concentration and oil content, as this led to the formation of stronger particle networks and droplet networks. While an opposite phenomenon was found in increasing salt concentration in W2 continuous phase, possibly resulting from the disruption of the ordered gel network. These findings not only provide new food-grade emulsifiers for W1/O/W2 double emulsions, but also broaden the application of edible mushroom proteins in food industry.

Novel concentrated O/W emulsion co-stabilized by like-charged chitosan nanoparticle and ethyl lauroyl arginate (LAE) surfactant at very low dosages

Emulsions co-stabilized by like-charged cationic ethyl lauroyl arginate (LAE) and positively charged chitosan/sodium tripolyphosphate (CS-TPP) nanoparticles at low doses were prepared. The effects of CS-TPP nanoparticle concentration, LAE concentration, and pH on storage stability and mean droplet diameter were investigated, and the emulsion microstructure was examined by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The emulsions formed by LAE and CS-TPP were O/W emulsions, different from W/O emulsions formed by CS-TPP alone. The stability of the emulsions co-stabilized by LAE and CS-TPP was superior to that of the emulsions stabilized by LAE alone or CS-TPP nanoparticles alone. The emulsions could maintain good stability with 0.5 mM LAE and 0.08 wt% CS-TPP at pH ranging from 3.5 to 5.5. After standing and layering, the upper cream layer of CS-TPP+LAE emulsions could form stable high internal phase emulsions. For the novel emulsion, LAE dominated the formation of emulsion droplets, and adsorbed CS-TPP nanoparticles played a crucial role in the emulsion stability. The adsorbed CS-TPP nanoparticles discretely attached to oil droplets could form a strawberry-like construct, which could prevent the coalescence of emulsion droplets through electrostatic repulsion and steric hindrance. This work demonstrates the capacity of low dose food-grade emulsifiers and stabilizers to form stable emulsions.

High-Yield Synthesis of Phosphatidylserine in a Well-Designed Mixed Micellar System.

A sustainable enzymatic system is essential for efficient phosphatidylserine (PS) synthesis in industrial production. Conventional biphasic systems face challenges such as excessive organic solvent usage, enzyme-intensive processes, and increased costs. This study introduces a novel approach using chitin nanofibrils (ChNFs) as an immobilization material for phospholipase D (PLD) in a mixed micellar system stabilized by the food-grade emulsifier sodium deoxycholate (SDC). The immobilized enzyme, ChNF-chiA1, was quickly prepared in a one-step process, eliminating the need for purification. By optimizing the reaction conditions, including l-Ser concentration (1.0 M), SDC concentration (10 mM), reaction time (8 h), and enzyme dosage (1.0 U), a remarkable PS yield of 96.74% was achieved in the solvent-free mixed micellar system. The catalytic efficiency of ChNF-chiA1 surpassed that of the free PLD-chiA1 biphasic system by 6.0-fold. This innovative and green biocatalytic technology offers a reusable solution for the high-value enzymatic synthesis of phospholipids, providing a promising avenue for industrial applications.

Effect of synergism of sucrose ester and xanthan gum on the stability of walnut milk.

Single emulsifiers have an effect on the stability of plant protein drinks, giving some improvement. Emulsifiers are more effective in maintaining emulsion stability when combined with polysaccharides such as xanthan gum. In this paper, we studied the food-grade emulsifier sucrose ester and measured the average particle size, polydispersity value, zeta potential, microrheological properties, microstructure and creaming index related to walnut protein emulsion by constructing a walnut protein emulsion simulation system. SDS-PAGE and low-field NMR were used to analyze the relative molecular masses of emulsions and the water distribution of emulsions, respectively, to further investigate the synergistic effects of sucrose esters and xanthan gum on the ease of emulsification and intrinsic mechanisms of different molecular weight proteins of walnut protein emulsions. The results indicate that the synergistic effect of sucrose esters and xanthan gum was to stabilize emulsions better than single emulsifiers. Xanthan gum and protein may form protein-polysaccharide complexes, as well as the hydrophobic interaction between sucrose ester and xanthan gum. The properties of xanthan gum can improve the stability of the emulsion by affecting the mechanical properties of walnut protein emulsion, and the combination of sucrose ester and xanthan gum can better stabilize large protein molecules. The results not only provide a theoretical basis for the stability of plant protein emulsion systems, but also provide technical support for the production and processing of large-molecule plant proteins into emulsions in this field for improving their stability, and also provide more possibilities for other types of emulsions. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Tribological property evaluation, optimization and performance of waste sunflower oil based green cutting fluid with silicon dioxide nanoparticles as additive

Mineral oil-based cutting fluids are hazardous and non-biodegradable, and their widespread usage has had a terrible effect on the environment and living things. The creation of a novel, ecologically sustainable cutting fluid technology is essential to avoid the above crisis. Commercial mineral oil alternatives are considered to possess identical lubricating properties as vegetable oils. Most vegetable oils are edible, so waste-cooking sunflower oil (WSO) is selected from this group to serve as the base stock for the green cutting fluid. The green cutting fluid is created using silicon dioxide nanoparticles as an additive and food-grade emulsifiers like Tween 80 and Span 80. According to the experimental findings, 0.05 weight percent silicon dioxide nanoparticles in the green cutting fluid performed better on a pin-on-disc tribometer.

Emulsion for stabilizing β-carotene and curcumin prepared directly using a continuous phase of polysaccharide-rich Schizophyllum commune fermentation broth

In this study, we examined the effect of Schizophyllum commune fermentation broth (SCFB) rich in polysaccharides (SCFP) on the stability and bioaccessibility of β-carotene and curcumin. An SCFB-stabilized oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion (SCFBe) was prepared using SCFB as the continuous phase, and then evaluated for storage stability using an SCFP-based emulsion (SCFPe) as the control. The findings revealed that SCFBe is more stable at 60 °C than SCFPe, and stratification or droplet size varied at differing pH levels (3–9) and concentrations of Na+ (0.1–0.5 M) and Ca2+ (0.01–0.05 M). Since the absolute value of the zeta potential of SCFBe is much lower at 60 °C than that at 4 °C and 25 °C, a higher temperature (60 °C) may enhance the reactivity of polysaccharides and proteins in SCFB to improve the stability of SCFBe. Both the protective impact of SCFB on functional food molecules and their capacity to block lipid oxidation increased as polysaccharide content improved. The bioaccessibility of β-carotene after in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion is 11.18 %–12.28 %, whereas that of curcumin is 31.64 %–33.00 %. By fermenting edible and medicinal fungi in liquid, we created a unique and environmentally friendly approach for getting food-grade emulsifiers without extraction.

Antioxidant stability and in vitro digestion of β-carotene-loaded oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by whey protein isolate-Mesona chinensis polysaccharide conjugates

The aim of this study was to investigate the delivery of functional factor β-carotene by emulsion stabilized with whey protein isolate-Mesona chinensis polysaccharide (WPI-MCP) conjugate. Results showed that the WPI-MCP complex had better antioxidant properties than WPI. Correspondingly, the emulsions stabilized by this complex also had better oxidative stability compared with protein emulsions alone. The particle size of WPI-MCP emulsion was smaller and had a better stability when MCP was added at 0.2 % (w/v). The sizes of WPI-MCP and WPI emulsions were 3594.33 and 7765.67 nm at pH 4, indicating improved emulsion stability around isoelectric point of WPI. At different NaCl concentrations, the absolute values of zeta-potential of WPI-MCP emulsions were larger than that of WPI emulsions except 0.1 % (mol/L) NaCl. The sizes of WPI and WPI-MCP emulsions were 2384.32 and 790.12 nm, respectively. During in vitro digestion, WPI-MCP stabilized emulsions slowed down the release of free fatty acids and achieved about 80 % bioaccessibility of β-carotene, indicating that WPI-MCP-stabilized emulsions encapsulating β-carotene can effectively control the release of bioactive substances. These studies have potential significance and value for the construction of food-grade emulsion delivery system.

Waxy maize starch incorporated (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate can stabilize emulsion gel and improve antioxidant activity

A food-grade emulsion gel was stabilized using waxy maize starch (WS) incorporated (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) at different ratio (from 5 % to 20 %, w/w). The microstructure, rheological behavior, physical stability and antioxidant activity of emulsion gels were investigated using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM), and rheometer, etc. The results suggested that incorporated EGCG obviously affected the spatial configuration of WS hydrogel. The WS/EGCG hydrogels presented an excellent lipophilic capacity characterized by tightly adhering to linseed oil droplets in the emulsion gels. Moreover, the viscosity, viscoelasticity and physical stability of the emulsion gels stabilized by the WS/EGCG hydrogel matrices were significantly enhanced. The emulsion gel stabilized by the WS/EGCG hydrogel matrix (15 % EGCG) had long-term emulsifying stability because its emulsified phase volume fraction (77.14 %) remained stable for 30 days. Compared with typical natural and synthetic antioxidants in food and pharmaceutical processing, the emulsion gels stabilized by the WS/EGCG hydrogel matrices showed significant stronger DPPH (97.45 %) and ABTS•+ (97.97 %) free radical scavenging activity. These results demonstrate that WS/EGCG hydrogels can not only be used in food-grade matrix materials to stabilize emulsion gels but also improve the antioxidant activity of the emulsion gels.

Semisolid medium internal phase emulsions stabilized by dendritic-like mushroom cellulose nanofibrils: Concentration effect and stabilization mechanism

Emulsions with reduced fat and natural stabilizers are currently prevalent. Herein, semisolid emulsions with an oil phase of 50 % were successfully prepared using cellulose nanofibrils from mushroom stipes as stabilizers. Cellulose nanofibrils obtained by high-pressure homogenization were dendritic-like and possessed a contact angle of 70.50 ± 0.41°. The rheological properties and stability of emulsions increased significantly as nanocellulose concentrations increased from 5 to 20 mg/mL, while nanocellulose at 25–30 mg/mL significantly reduced the storage stability and anti-lipid oxidation ability of emulsions. The microstructure of semisolid emulsions demonstrated that nanocellulose fibers at 20 mg/mL could stabilize emulsions by forming compact interfacial films around droplets and creating intensive bridging networks between neighboring droplets, while nanofibers at concentrations over 20 mg/mL easily clustered in the aqueous phase, making the droplets more susceptible to aggregation and demulsification. The results demonstrate that cellulose nanofibrils from mushroom byproducts have the potential to stabilize semisolid food-grade emulsions.

Advances in preparation and application of food-grade emulsion gels.

Emulsion gel is a semi-solid or solid material with a three-dimensional net structure produced from emulsion through physical, enzymatic, chemical methods or their combination. Emulsion gels are widely used in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries as carriers of bioactive substances and fat substitutes due to their unique properties. The modification of raw materials, and the application of different processing methods and associated process parameters profoundly affect the ease or difficult of gel formation, microstructure, hardness of the resulting emulsion gels. This paper reviews the important research undertaken in the last decade focusing on classification of emulsion gels, their preparation methods, the influence of processing method and associated process parameters on structure-function of emulsion gels. It also highlights current status of emulsion gels in food, pharmaceutical and medical industries and provides future outlook on research directions requiring to provide theoretical support for innovative applications of emulsion gels, particularly in food industry.

Droplet-Based Microfluidics as a Platform to Design Food-Grade Delivery Systems Based on the Entrapped Compound Type.

Microfluidic technology has emerged as a powerful tool for several applications, including chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering. Due to the laminar regime, droplet-based microfluidics enable the development of diverse delivery systems based on food-grade emulsions, such as multiple emulsions, microgels, microcapsules, solid lipid microparticles, and giant liposomes. Additionally, by precisely manipulating fluids on the low-energy-demand micrometer scale, it becomes possible to control the size, shape, and dispersity of generated droplets, which makes microfluidic emulsification an excellent approach for tailoring delivery system properties based on the nature of the entrapped compounds. Thus, this review points out the most current advances in droplet-based microfluidic processes, which successfully use food-grade emulsions to develop simple and complex delivery systems. In this context, we summarized the principles of droplet-based microfluidics, introducing the most common microdevice geometries, the materials used in the manufacture, and the forces involved in the different droplet-generation processes into the microchannels. Subsequently, the encapsulated compound type, classified as lipophilic or hydrophilic functional compounds, was used as a starting point to present current advances in delivery systems using food-grade emulsions and their assembly using microfluidic technologies. Finally, we discuss the limitations and perspectives of scale-up in droplet-based microfluidic approaches, including the challenges that have limited the transition of microfluidic processes from the lab-scale to the industrial-scale.

Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose/soybean protein isolate nanoparticles incorporated broccoli leaf polyphenol to effectively improve the stability of Pickering emulsions

This study prepared SPI-Pol-HPMC (SPH) nanoparticles from soybean protein isolate (SPI), hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), and broccoli leaf polyphenol (Pol) and used them as a stabilizer for the Pickering emulsion. The SPH (2:1) nanoparticles have the best ability to encapsulate broccoli leaf polyphenols, with uniform particle size distribution, and a more dense and stable structure. The chemical and hydrogen bonding forces between the SPH nanoparticle components were enhanced. Additionally, the 1.5 % SPH nanoparticle-stabilized emulsions exhibited good physical stability, manifesting as small particle droplets with good rheological properties and uniform dispersion. The volume fraction of the emulsified phase of the 1.5 % SPH nanoparticle-stabilized emulsions was the greatest after 21 days of storage. Interestingly, SPH nanoparticles also improved the oxidative stability of the emulsions, as evidenced through their lower peroxide values and thiobarbituric acid active substances. The aforementioned results suggest that SPH nanoparticles may be used as food-grade emulsifiers that stabilize emulsions and inhibit their lipid oxidation.