Model Emulsions Research Articles

Sugar beet pectins for the formulation of dressings and soft drinks: Understanding the complexity of charged hydrocolloids in industrial food emulsions

The aim of this study was to set up formulation-process-property functions for sugar beet pectin stabilized emulsions under industrially relevant processing conditions to allow for a reformulation of foods and beverages using sugar beet pectins (SBP) as emulsifiers. Therefore, model food emulsions, soft drinks, and salad dressings were produced. Model emulsions were prepared at different pH values (3, 4, and 5) and varying SBP concentrations (0.25 wt% – 2 wt%). Subsequently, the emulsions were subjected to pasteurization or salt addition and their short- and long-term stability was assessed. It could be shown that the pectin-stabilized emulsions were more sensitive to salt addition than to heat treatment. However, any physical instabilities could be avoided by using higher amounts of SBP. Furthermore, it could be shown, that SBP are able to stabilize soft drinks (0.05 wt% orange oil) as well as low-fat salad dressings (10 wt% rapeseed oil) over the typically required storage time. SBP-stabilized soft drinks showed no significant changes in droplet size distributions, cloudiness, or color, even after pasteurization and 6 months of storage. In order to stabilize the salad dressings with a rather low SBP concentration (0.25 wt%), the viscosity of the samples had to be adjusted appropriately. Overall, SBP were shown to be highly suitable for use as emulsifiers in the food and beverage industry. • Emulsions with SBP were more sensitive to higher ionic strengths at pH 3 than pH 5. • Pasteurization had no significant effect on droplet size distribution. • SBP concentration was the most important formulation parameter for stability. • An unfavorable pH and ionic strength could be compensated by higher amounts of SBP. • SBP-stabilized salad dressings were stable over 4 weeks, soft drinks over 6 months.

Effect of Ultrasonic Treatment on the Characteristics of Model Emulsion Systems Based on High-Protein Vegetable Raw Materials

Effect of Ultrasonic Treatment on the Characteristics of Model Emulsion Systems Based on High-Protein Vegetable Raw Materials

Light Penetrating the Seawater Column as the Indicator of Oil Suspension-Monte Carlo Modelling for the Case of the Southern Baltic Sea.

The strong need to control investments related to oil extraction and the growing demand for offshore deep-water exploration are the reasons for looking for tools to make up a global underwater monitoring system. Therefore, the current study analyses the possibility of revealing the existence of oil-in-water emulsions in the water column, based on the modelling of the downwelling radiance detected by a virtual underwater sensor. Based on the Monte Carlo simulation for the large numbers of solar photons in the water, the analyses were carried out for eight wavelengths ranging from 412 to 676 nm using dispersed oil with a concentration of 10 ppm. The optical properties of the seawater were defined as typical for the southern Baltic Sea, while the oil emulsion model was based on the optical properties of crude oil extracted in this area. Based on the above-mentioned assumptions and modelling, a spectral index was obtained, with the most favourable combination of 555/412 nm, whose value is indicative of the presence of an oil emulsion in the water.

Amphiphilic interaction-mediated ordering of nanoparticles in Pickering emulsion droplets.

For various industrial processes, the stabilization of an oil phase is crucial and demands a proper balance of complex interactions in an emulsion system. In Pickering emulsions, this is achieved by introducing nanoparticles, which become organized at the oil-water interface. The influence of interparticle interactions towards the formation of a stable emulsion and the ordering of the stabilizing nanoparticles is intriguing and needs attention. In this work, the role of amphiphilic interactions between hydrophilic silica nanoparticles and the Pluronic F127 tri-block co-polymer towards the spontaneous formation of a fairly stable Pickering emulsion has been studied using small-angle X-ray scattering. Unlike the usual random arrangements of the nanoparticles in a conventional Pickering emulsion, we observed highly organized silica nanoparticles at the oil-water interface. The established standard raspberry structural model of the Pickering emulsion fails to explain such strong ordering as observed in the present case. A plausible formation mechanism of the present Pickering emulsion with a high on-surface silica correlation is elucidated on the basis of the combined interactions of the block co-polymer and silica particles. A computer model is developed to elucidate the effects of size and distribution of the surface-decorating nanoparticles and their positional correlation.

Optimizing the Appearance of plant-based Foods: Impact of Pigment and Droplet Characteristics on Optical Properties of Model oil-in-water Emulsions

Plant-based foods should mimic the appearance of the animal-based ones they are designed to replace, such meat, seafood, egg, milk, and their products. Each food is required to have specific optical properties, such as color and opacity, which depend on the selective absorption and scattering of light. In this study, oil-in-water emulsions containing plant-derived pigments were used as model plant-based foods. The pigments were selected to represent the three primary colors: turmeric (yellow), red beet (red), and butterfly pea flower (blue). We then investigated the impact of pigment and oil droplet characteristics on the optical properties of the model emulsions, including pigment type and concentration, and droplet size and concentration. Reflectance spectroscopy and colorimetry (L*, a*, b* values) were used to quantify the impact of these parameters on the optical properties of the emulsions. The chromaticness of the emulsions increased with increasing colorant concentration, increasing droplet size, and decreasing droplet concentration due to greater light absorption. The lightness of the emulsions increased with decreasing colorant concentration, decreasing droplet size, and increasing droplet concentration due to greater light scattering. This study provides a better understanding of the factors influencing the optical properties of plant-based foods, which could be used to optimize their appearances, thereby increasing consumer acceptance.

Pea protein isolates: emulsification properties as affected by preliminary pretreatments

The surface and emulsifying properties of a commercial pea protein isolate in oil-in-water model emulsions and the role of insoluble residues in emulsion stability were investigated. Droplet size distribution, flocculation index, microstructure, and protein coverage of the emulsions were evaluated. The insoluble fraction positively contributed to the pea proteins’ emulsifying properties, allowing the formation of emulsions with higher dispersion degree, especially at low isolate concentration, with an enhancement of the physical stability.

Model Emulsions Stabilized with Nonionic Surfactants: Structure and Rheology Across Catastrophic Phase Inversion.

The catastrophic phase inversion process of model emulsions (water/Span 80-Tween 80/heptane) from oil-in-water to water-in-oil emulsion was investigated. During this process, the phase inversion of the emulsion was monitored through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). In emulsions without NaCl, oil-in-water gel emulsions are formed prior to phase inversion. As the HLB value increases, the oil volume fraction required for phase inversion becomes higher. Polydisperse distribution of the gel emulsion is observed from microscope optical images. The Turbiscan Lab stability analyzer indicates that O/W gel emulsions before the phase inversion has good stability at 50 °C. Rheological measurements reveal that emulsions exhibit non-Newtonian behavior. The viscosity of the gel emulsions increases significantly prior to phase inversion. As the oil volume fraction increases, the storage modulus and loss modulus of the gel emulsion increase to a maximum, at which catastrophic phase inversion occurs. In emulsions with NaCl, there is no oil-in-water gel emulsion formed before phase inversion. The physicochemical properties of the emulsion play a crucial role in whether gel emulsions are produced during catastrophic phase inversion. These gel emulsions have the potential to diversify the applications in crude oil extraction, drug delivery systems, packaging materials, and other fields.

Wood lignocellulosic stabilizers: effect of their characteristics on stability and rheological properties of emulsions

Lignocellulosic materials from the forest industry have shown potential to be used as sustainable hydrocolloids to stabilize emulsions for many applications in life science and chemical industries. However, the effect of wood species and recovery method on the product’s properties and ability to stabilize emulsions of isolated lignocellulosic compounds is not well understood. Hemicelluloses, abundant lignocellulosic side stream, exhibit differences in their water solubility, anionic character, lignin content, and degree of acetylation. Here, we explored stability and rheological properties of model emulsions (5% hexadecane and 1% stabilizer, w/w) stabilized by different grades of sprucewood galactoglucomannan (GGM) and birchwood glucuronoxylan (GX) hemicelluloses. The results were compared to known soluble, insoluble, charged, and non-charged cellulosic stabilizers, namely methyl cellulose (MC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), anionic- and nonionic-cellulose nanocrystals (aCNC and dCNC). The results showed that GX emulsions were highly stable compared to GGM emulsions, and that deacetylation and lignin removal markedly reduced emulsion stability of GGM. Carboxymethylation to increase anionic characters enhanced the emulsion stabilization capacity of GGM, but not that of GX. Investigating flow behaviors of emulsions indicated that hemicelluloses primarily stabilize emulsions by adsorption of insoluble particles, as their flow behaviors were similar to those of cellulose nanocrystals rather than those of soluble celluloses. Understanding the impact of the variations in composition and properties of hemicellulose stabilizers to stabilize emulsions allows tailoring of their recovery processes to obtain desirable hydrocolloids for different applications.

Understanding the Performance of Plant Protein Concentrates as Partial Meat Substitutes in Hybrid Meat Emulsions.

Hybrid meat products are an excellent strategy to incorporate plant proteins into traditional meat formulations considering recent market trends focusing on the partial reduction in red meat content. In this work, we evaluated the effects of different concentrated plant proteins (soy, pea, fava bean, rice, and sunflower) in partially replacing meat in meat emulsion model systems. Soy, pea, and sunflower proteins showed great compatibility with the meat matrix, giving excellent emulsion stability and a cohesive protein network with good fat distribution. Otherwise, adding rice and fava bean proteins resulted in poor emulsion stability. Color parameters were affected by the intrinsic color of plant proteins and due to the reduction in myoglobin content. Both viscoelastic moduli, G' and G″ decreased with the incorporation of plant proteins, especially for rice and fava bean. The temperature sweep showed that myosin denaturation was the dominant effect on the G' increase. The water mobility was affected by plant proteins and the proportion between immobilized and intermyofibrillar water was quite different among treatments, especially those with fava bean and rice proteins. In vitro protein digestibility was lower for hybrid meat emulsion elaborated with rice protein. It is concluded that soy, pea, and mainly sunflower proteins have suitable compatibility with the meat matrix in emulsified products.

Antitumor Immunotherapy of Sialic Acid and/or GM1 Modified Coenzyme Q10 Submicron Emulsion.

Immunotherapy is a novel therapeutic approach for controlling and killing tumor cells by stimulating or reconstituting the immune system, among which T cells serve as immune targets. Herein, we used coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which has both immune activation and avoids adverse reactions, as a model drug and developed four CoQ10 submicron emulsions modified with sialic acid (SA) and/or monosialotetrahexosyl ganglioside (GM1). On the one hand, SA interacts with L-selectins on the surface of T cells after entering the circulatory system, leading to activation of T cells and enhancement of antitumor immune responses. On the other hand, owing to its immune camouflage, GM1 can prolong the circulation time of the preparation in the body, thereby increasing the accumulation of the drug at the tumor site. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that SA-modified preparations exhibited stronger immune activation and inhibition of tumor proliferation. Pharmacokinetic experiments showed that GM1-modified preparations have longer circulation times in vivo. However, SA and GM1 co-modification did not produce a synergistic effect on the preparation. In conclusion, the SA-modified CoQ10 submicron emulsion (Q10-SE) showed optimal antitumor efficacy when administered at a medium dose (6mg CoQ10 kg-1). In this study, the submicron emulsion model was used as a carrier, and the tumor-bearing mice were used as animal models. In addition, CoQ10 submicron emulsion was modified with SA-CH with active targeting function and/or GM1 with long-circulation function to explore the antitumor effects of different doses of CoQ10 submicron emulsion, and to screen the best tumor immunotherapy formulations of CoQ10.

Insilico Bimolecular Interaction Studies of Natural Compounds for Treatment of Alzheimers Disease

Abstract: To determine the natural composites that can be used as implicit medicines towards Alzheimer’s complaint. Alzheimer’s complaint is a nonstop progressive and multi-factored neurodegenerative complaint that's known to be the sixth leading cause of death and the most common cause of madness in old, aged people. Alzheimer’s complaint is related to increased situations of the amyloid β peptide( Aβ) along with loss of neurons and synapses. The complaint process is largely associated with amyloid pillars, neurofibrillary befuddlements, and loss of neuronal connections in the brain. In our study, we will be exercising the structural and natural exertion information on specific ligands and compactly study the vital targets that are believed to be effective against Alzheimer’s complaint. The early onset of the domestic Alzheimer's complaint is considered to do due to the mutations in one of three genes those garbling amyloid- beta precursor protein( APP) and Presenilins PSEN1 and PSEN2. utmost mutations in the APP and presenilin genes increase the product of the small proteins known as the amyloid beta( Aβ) 42 proteins, are the main element of the forming amyloid pillars. There are numerous selective targets for the event of antiAD( Alzheimer’s complaint) medicines, and thus the multi-factorial nature of this complaint involves multi-target-directed composites which may be salutary for announcement treatment. The complaint which is known to target the hippocampus that is associated with our memory, further this becomes responsible to instigate the first symptoms of memory impairment. As the complaint progresses so does the degree of memory impairment. The natural emulsion models were considered as multi-target leads using molecular docking ways and also completely analysed grounded on the list affinity values, RMSD values, stability and molecular interactivity studies for the determination of implicit medicine composites to make medicinals. Eventually, the foremost implicit multi-target natural composites against Alzheimer’s complaint are determined and farther validated through the corresponding invitro studies

Antioxidant activity of novel diosgenin derivatives: Synthesis, biological evaluation, and in silico ADME prediction

A series of novel diosgenin (DSG) derivatives has been synthesized and tested in vitro for their antioxidant activity. Initially, four analogues have been evaluated for their cytotoxicity using normal human skin fibroblast (NHDF) as model cells. As a result, 84% of NHDF cells were still alive at 5 µM, so these compounds can be considered as innoxious to fibroblasts at this concentration. Then, hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes was studied in order to evaluate the potential impact of tested compounds against normal host cells. The result < 5% of hemolysis rates suggest no lytic activity for most compounds. After that, the main test — evaluation the antioxidant effect of DSG and its new derivatives against lipid peroxidation in the o/w emulsion model — was performed. The most promising compound (8) exhibited the significant antioxidant activity and the biocompatibility towards normal human dermal fibroblasts and red bloods cells. This p–aminobenzoic derivative revealed 61.6% blocking of induced lipid oxidation. Furthermore, eleven predicted ADME properties were predicted for all tested compounds and revealed that they are in compliance with drug–likeness criteria.

Dissipative particle dynamics simulation and experimental analysis of effects of Gemini surfactants with different spacer lengths on stability of emulsion systems

Understanding the effects of the structure of surfactants on the interfacial properties and dynamic processes of emulsions is critical for the rational design and selection of surfactants for the formation of stable emulsions. In this study, a series of Gemini cationic surfactants with different spacer lengths and an anionic surfactant were examined. The effects of single surfactants, as well as mixed surfactant systems, on the interfacial properties of oil/water systems were systematically investigated using dissipative particle dynamics simulations. The Gemini surfactants were modeled as “π-shaped” coarse-grained molecules with different spacer lengths to examine variations in their properties, including the radial distribution function, interfacial tension, and interfacial thickness. We found that Gemini surfactants with shorter spacers exhibit better surface activity. Longer spacers result in the binding of more oil molecules to the chain, which reduces the surface activity. The effect of mixed surfactant systems on the reduction of interfacial tension is significant. Emulsion systems constructed from anionic surfactants and Gemini cationic surfactants with shorter spacers exhibited a lower sedimentation index after aging. Emulsion models were able to capture the dynamic process of emulsion breaking at the microscopic level and were used to analyze the effects of surfactants on emulsion stabilization. Based on the analysis of the effect of surfactants on the oil-water interface, this work further analyzes the effect of surfactants on the stability of emulsions. In addition, an ingenious emulsion system is established, which provides a basis for the rational design and selection of high-efficiency surfactants to prepare stable emulsion systems.

Comparative characterization of baking lipase substrate specificities using emulsions and the p-nitrophenyl assay

For use in cakes, lipases with suitable substrate specificity are needed to minimize the release of short-chain fatty acids that cause undesirable off-flavors. We analyzed the substrate specificities of 17 lipases using the p-nitrophenyl (PNP)-assay. These results were compared to the reactions of the lipases with the baking fats rapeseed oil, margarine and butter in a new model emulsion. The free fatty acids (FFA) released from this model emulsion were quantitated by gas chromatography. The broad spectrum of lipase specificities seen in the PNP-assay was not apparent in the patterns of FFA released from the model emulsions. There, all lipases released similar percentages of FFA depending on the fat and emulsifier used. The prediction of lipase reactions via the PNP-assay should therefore be critically reevaluated for real food systems such as cakes.

Simple formulation and characterization of double emulsion variant designed to carry three bioactive agents

Multiple emulsions are thermodynamically stable systems that mark applications in various fields including drug delivery systems. They allow enhanced availability of drugs, greater absorption, and present reduced toxicity, among other desirable properties. In this work, we aimed to formulate a unique double emulsion (O1/W + W1/O2/W/W) with three bioactive components viz. Ocimum tenuiflorum oil, Cocos nucifera oil and crystalline Cinnamomum camphora. Three surfactants with different HLB values viz. Tween-20, Tween-80 and Triton X-100 were used for the emulsification process. The method followed was simple as compared to current methods employed for formulating multiple emulsions. Formulation was characterized using techniques of bright field microscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Image processing tools were also used to characterize the formulation, which reliably cross-verified the observations from conventional characterization techniques. The potency of individual components of emulsion was compared with the prepared double emulsion model by testing the activity on two pathologically relevant bacterial strains: Fusobacterium nucleatum (FN) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (PG).

POLYPHENOL CONTENT AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF THE SHOOTS EXTRACTS FROM Rubus idaeus L

Biomolecules are largely found at different parts in divers medicinal plants. This study aims to quantify polyphenols and some biological properties of the areal part of Rubus idaeus L. plant. The shoots of Rubus idaeus L. were extracted by a methanol-water mixture. The antioxidant capacity was estimated by different in vitro assays ; linoleic acid emulsion model system, ß-carotene-linoleate model system, DPPH reduction, free radical-scavenging activity, and reducing ability assay. The highest levels of polyphenolic compounds was observed in the ethyl acetate extract (EAE). In linoleic acid test, chloroform extract (CHE) had the strongest antioxidant in comparison with butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT) (64. 549 ± 0. 007%). In b-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching assay, the crude extract (CE) had the highest antioxidant capacity. The results showed that EAE showed the strongest antioxidant activity as measured by radicals scavenging activities and reducing power.The present work provide evidence that the areal part extracts of R. idaeus has remarkable antioxidant activities.

Modification of the Maxwell-Wagner Heterogeneous Dielectric Model for Heterogeneous Polymers and Emulsions.

In heterogeneous polymers and emulsions, the volume fraction of the discrete phase and the frequency of electromagnetic waves affect the accuracy of the dielectric model. The integral method was used to modify the Maxwell–Wagner (M–W) heterogeneous dielectric theory, and a new model for the complex dielectric constant of polymers and emulsions was established. The experimental data were compared with the results of the M–W heterogeneous dielectric integral modification model and other theoretical models for different frequencies and volume fractions of the discrete phase. We discovered that with a decreasing volume fraction of the discrete phase, the dominant frequency range of the integral modification model expanded. When the volume fraction of the discrete phase is 10%, the dominant frequency range reaches 3 GHz. When the volume fraction of the discrete phase is 1%, the dominant frequency range reaches 4 GHz. When the volume fraction of the discrete phase is 0.06%, the dominant frequency range of the real part reaches 9.6 GHz, and the dominant frequency range of the imaginary part reaches 7.2 GHz. These results verify the advantages of the M–W modification model, which provides a theoretical basis to study the dielectric properties of polymers and emulsions, as well as for microwave measurement.

The effect of adding eggshell membrane to emulsified meat models in terms of structure, water-holding, and texture

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of adding eggshell membrane (ESM), a by-product of the chicken egg processing industry, to emulsified meat models with different NaCl concentrations. The aim was to examine if ESM could facilitate a reduction in the amount of NaCl added to this type of product. The effects of ESM addition were investigated in terms of cooking loss, water distribution, color, and texture properties using a simplified meat emulsion model with no other additives than ESM. Emulsified meat samples were made with three different NaCl concentrations (0.5, 0.1, 1.5% w/w), without and with three levels of ESM (0.5, 1.0, 1.5% w/w). Addition of ESM reduced cooking loss (CL), improved texture, and increased redness. Effects of ESM were explained by structural changes in the protein matrix, as shown by two different histological methods. The addition of ESM explained 86% of the variation in low-field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (LF-NMR) T2 relaxation times in uncooked samples, while 97% of the variation in cooked samples was explained by the NaCl concentration. Fourier transform Infrared (FTIR) micro-spectroscopic measurements revealed that samples supplemented with ESM had a higher proportion of α-helical structures and reduced amount of protein ß-sheet aggregation in samples with 1.0 and 1.5% NaCl. It was shown that ESM increased the pH of the emulsified meat, and it was, therefore suggested that increased negative repulsion effects had a positive heat stabilizing effect on the protein network. The fact that the cooked samples were redder was probably related to the antioxidant effect of ESM which was measured as MDA (malondialdehyde) equivalents after in vitro digestion of the samples. ESM can thus help reduce the salt content in sausages while ESM also has a positive antioxidant effect improving color.

Exploration of suitable in vitro simulated digestion model for lipid oxidation of flaxseed oil emulsion during digestion.

The INFOGEST model is a standardized general in vitro digestion study, but it cannot accurately simulate the fatty acid release process of lipids in the stomach and small intestine. In this study, the internationally universal INFOGEST 2019 was used as the basic model and flaxseed oil emulsion was used as the research object. In various improvement models, the effect of fatty acid release rate on the oxidation stability of flaxseed oil was assessed by adding rabbit stomach extract and changing the order of bile salts addition. With the presence of rabbit gastric extract, flaxseed oil emulsion flocculation and coalescence in stomach were reduced, and the absolute value of ζ-potential increased. Moreover, the release rate of fatty acids in the small intestine increased by 12.14%. The amount of lipid oxidation product (i.e. hexanal) in the gastric and intestinal phases increased by 0.08 ppb. In addition, the fatty acid release rate in the small intestine phase increased by 5.85% and the hexanal content increased by 0.011 ppb in the digestion model of adding bile salts before adjusting the pH in the small intestine phase compared with the model of adjusting the pH first and then adding bile salts. The results obtained from this study will contribute to finding the most suitable static digestion model for simulating digestion and oxidation of lipid during lipid gastrointestinal digestion. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Influence of Fat Replacers on the Rheological, Tribological, and Aroma Release Properties of Reduced-Fat Emulsions.

Reduced-fat food products can help manage diet-related health issues, but consumers often link them with poor sensory qualities. Thus, high-quality fat replacers are necessary to develop appealing reduced-fat products. A full-fat model emulsion was reduced in fat by replacing fat with either water, lactose, corn dextrin (CD), inulin, polydextrose, or microparticulated whey protein (MWP) as fat replacers. The effect of fat reduction and replacement, as well as the suitability of different types of fat replacers, were determined by analyzing fat droplet size distribution, composition, rheological and tribological properties, and the dynamic aroma release of six aroma compounds prevalent in cheese and other dairy products. None of the formulations revealed a considerable effect on droplet size distribution. MWP strongly increased the Kokini oral shear stress and viscosity, while CD exhibited similar values to the full-fat emulsion. All four fat replacers improved the lubricity of the reduced-fat samples. Butane-2,3-dione and 3-methylbutanoic acid were less affected by the changes in the formulation than butanoic acid, heptan-2-one, ethyl butanoate, and nonan-2-one. The aroma releases of the emulsions comprising MWP and CD were most similar to that of the full-fat emulsion. Therefore, CD was identified as a promising fat replacer for reduced-fat emulsions.