High-pressure microfluidization enhanced the stability of sodium caseinate-EGCG complex-stabilized fish oil emulsion

Improving the emulsion-stabilizing effect of protein by chemical or physical modification has been paid much attention recently. Here, sodium caseinate (CS) was treated by high-pressure-microfluidization (HPM) under 0-100 MPa, and was further complexed with (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) to form an excellent emulsifier that stabilized fish oil emulsions. Results showed that HPM treatment (especially 80 MPa) significantly changed the secondary structure of CS, and 80 MPa-PCS-EGCG had the best emulsifying and antioxidant activities. In addition, after HPM treatment and EGCG bonding, CS formed a thicker interface layer on the surface of oil droplets, which could better protect the fish oil from the influence by oxygen, temperature and ion concentration. Moreover, the fish oil emulsion stabilized by PCS-EGCG complex significantly delayed the release of free fatty acids subjected to in vitro digestion. Conclusively, HPM-treated CS-EGCG complex could be a potential emulsifier to improve the stability of fish oil emulsions.

Effects of catechin on the stability of myofibrillar protein-soybean oil emulsion and the adsorbed properties of myosin at the oil-water interface

The effects of different concentrations of catechin on the stability of myofibrillar protein-soybean oil emulsions and the related mechanisms were investigated. Adding 10 μmol/g catechin had no obvious effects on the emulsion stability and myosin structure, but 50, 100 and 200 μmol/g catechin decreased the emulsion stability. The microstructure observations showed that 10 μmol/g catechin caused a dense and uniform emulsion to form, whereas 50, 100 and 200 μmol/g catechin induced the merging of oil droplets. The addition of 50, 100 and 200 μmol/g catechin caused a decline in both the total sulfhydryl content and surface hydrophobicity, suggesting protein aggregation, which decreased the adsorption capacity of myosin and the elasticity of interfacial film. These results suggested that higher concentrations of catechin were detrimental to the emulsifying properties of myosin and that the dose should be considered when it is used as an antioxidant.

Sustainable application of surfactants in soil remediation: Selective pollutants adsorption and hydrogen peroxide-driven adsorbent regeneration

The uncontrolled disposal of the liquid lindane wastes have led to the formation of dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPL), consisting of 28 chlorinated organic compounds (COCs), contaminating soil and groundwater. Surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation is proposed as technology to treat these sites. However, the polluted emulsion generated must be manged on-site. In this work a two-step process is applied to treat emulsion composed of E-Mulse® 3 (4 g·L-1) as surfactant and a DNAPL (2 gCOCs·L-1). In the first, the COCs were selectively adsorbed in a granular activated carbon (GAC) column with Fe (II) previously adsorbed (10-20mg·g-1) onto the carbon surface, recovering an aqueous phase with surfactant for their reuse. In the second step, the spent GAC was regenerated with a 40 g·L-1 solution of hydrogen peroxide fed to the column at 2 mL·min-1 to promote the oxidation of the COCs adsorbed in the GAC. The kinetic and adsorption model in a multisolute (surfactant and DNAPL) system has been proposed. Five successive cycles of regeneration/adsorption have been successfully applied in the column process. About 50 % of the COCs were retained from the emulsion, and more than 70 % of the surfactant was recovered. The consumption of unproductive oxidants decreased with the number of regeneration cycles. The water effluent obtained after regeneration of GAC did not present chlorinated compounds desorbed and nontoxic by-products generated, such as short-chain acids.

Milk fat globule membrane regulates the physicochemical properties and surface composition of infant formula powders by improving the stability of the emulsion

The milk fat globules in infant formula (IF) are encapsulated by a component known as milk fat globule membrane (MFGM). However, it is currently unclear whether the improved emulsion stability of MFGM can have a profound effect on the finished IF. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of MFGM on the particle size, stability, rheology, and microstructure of emulsions prepared by dairy ingredients via wet mixing. Further, IF were processed using such emulsions, the physicochemical properties, surface composition of the powders were examined. The results showed that MFGM reduced the particle size of the emulsion, increased the viscosity, and improved the microstructure of the MFGM. Furthermore, MFGM reduced the moisture content of the powder, increased the glass transition temperature, and reduced the presence of surface fat. In conclusion, the addition of MFGM enhance the finished powder stability by improving the emulsion stability prepared during IF manufacturing.

Design, characterization and digestibility of β-carotene-loaded emulsion system stabilized by whey protein with chitosan and potato starch addition

The physicochemical properties and gastrointestinal fate of β-carotene-loaded emulsions and emulsion gels were examined. The emulsion was emulsified by whey protein isolate and incorporated with chitosan, then the emulsion gels were produced by gelatinizing potato starch in the aqueous phase. The rheology properties, water distribution, and microstructure of emulsions and emulsion gels were modulated by chitosan combination. A standardized INFOGEST method was employed to track the gastrointestinal fate of emulsion systems. Significant changes in droplet size, zeta-potential, and aggregation state were detected during in vitro digestion, including simulated oral, stomach, and small intestine phases. The presence of chitosan led to a significantly reduced free fatty acids release in emulsion, whereas a slightly increasing released amount in the emulsion gel. β-carotene bioaccessibility was significantly improved by hydrogel formation and chitosan addition. These results could be used to formulate advanced emulsion systems to improve the gastrointestinal fate of hydrophobic nutraceuticals.

Stability and gastrointestinal behavior of curcumin-loaded emulsion stabilized by multi-conformation soy proteins: Influence of oil volume fraction

The aim of this work was to assess the potential of nanoemulsions stabilized by mixed soy protein with multi-conformation as curcumin carrier, and the influence of oil volume fraction on stability and gastrointestinal behavior of curcumin-loaded emulsion was investigated. Loading efficiency showed a slight increase with higher oil content, though the difference was not statistically significant. With the increase of oil, the viscosity (Pa‧s), thixotropy (area of hysteresis loop) and particle size of the emulsion increased, which facilitated the physical and chemical stability of curcumin-loaded emulsion. However, the free fatty acid release rate and bioaccessibility of curcumin was negatively correlated with the oil volume fraction and the particle size of emulsion after gastric digestion. Notably, the digestion in stomach did not affect the structure of interfacial protein, demonstrating that protein-based nanoemulsions exhibited resistance to gastric digestion. This study provides theoretical guidance for the application of protein-based emulsion in curcumin delivery.

Effects of high-pressure homogenization and ultrasound on the composition, structure, and physicochemical properties of proteins extracted from Nannochloropsis Oceania

This study examined the effects of high-pressure homogenization (HPH) and ultrasonication pre-treatment on the structural and physicochemical properties of proteins extracted from defatted Nannochloropsis Oceania biomass (DNOB). HPH treatment was found to enhance the solubility of protein extracted from DNOB compared to ultrasound, where samples pretreated with three passes (3P) of HPH exhibited lower solubility than two passes (2P). The morphology of extracted samples was visualized by scanning electron microscopy, which HPH pre-treatment, especially with more passes, were able to breakdown DNOB into fragments. Alternatively, more holes were displayed on the surface of the extracts pretreated with ultrasound especially when higher amplitude applied. The particle size of extracts from HPH3P (129.5 µm) significant dropped from HPH2P (314.25 µm), where samples pretreated with ultrasound at 20 % amplitude (US20) also decreased in particle size compared to 40 % amplitude (US40), from 115.25 µm to 78.22 µm. Protein flexibility of DNOB extracts were enhanced by both HPH2P and HPH3P but decreased for ultrasound samples. β-sheets were found to be the most abundant protein secondary structure for all samples, where samples treated with HPH3P contained the highest percentage of β-sheets (72 %) than control, HPH2P, ultrasonication at 20 and 40 % amplitude (52-62 %). The high percentage of β-sheets found in HPH3P sample also contributed to its outstanding emulsifying properties which stood out among all, especially at concentrations over 1 mg/ml. Results obtained from this study helped to direct the application of DNOB extracts as functional food ingredient for future food innovation.

External factors affecting the linear and nonlinear rheological behavior of oleogel-based emulsions

This study reported oleogel-based emulsions (OGEs, W/O) stabilized by carnauba wax. The effects of different external factors (heating temperature, crystallization temperature, and shear application during crystallization) on the microstructure and linear/nonlinear rheological properties of OGEs were investigated. Microstructural observation suggested that the OGEs had a uniform droplet distribution, and the carnauba wax crystals trapped oil in the continuous phase. The gelatinized oil phase allowed the OGEs to have a solid appearance and typical yielding behavior. The small amplitude oscillation shear analysis showed that lower heating temperature, higher crystallization temperature, and suitable shear application resulted in a stronger, more stable, and tighter packed network structure and better resistance to deformation of the OGEs. For nonlinear behavior, the elastic dominant behavior of OGEs transformed into viscous dominant behavior at large strain amplitudes, accompanied by more energy dissipation, strain stiffening, and a transition from shear thickening to shear thinning.

Bile conjugation and its effect on in vitro lipolysis of emulsions

Bile Salts (BS) are responsible for stimulating lipid digestion in our organism. Gut microbiota are responsible for the deconjugation process of primary conjugated to secondary unconjugated BS. We use two structurally distinct BS and characterize the rate of lipolysis as a compound parameter. A static in-vitro digestion model as well as meta-analysis of literature data has been performed to determine the most influential factors affecting the lipid digestion process. The results demonstrate that lipolysis of emulsions using conjugated BS (NaTC, FFA = 60.0 %, CMC in SIF = 5.58 mM, MSR of linoleic acid = 0.21, rate of adsorption = -0.057 mN/m.s) enhances the release of FFA compared to deconjugated BS (NaDC, FFA = 49.5 %, CMC in SIF = 2.49 mM, MSR of linoleic acid = 0.16 rate of adsorption = -0.064 mN/m.s). These results indicate that conjugation plays an important role in controlling the rate of lipolysis in our organism which can be in turn, tuned by the microflora composition of our gut, ultimately controlling the rate of deconjugation of the BS.

Phototoxicity in vitro and safety in vivo of the emulsion photosensitizer based on furanocoumarins of Heracleum sosnowskyi

The use of plants such as giant hogweed as raw materials for the manufacture of dosage forms has been little explored. In this study, we utilized furanocoumarins from the Heracleum sosnowskyi plant to create an experimental emulsion dosage form (EmFHS). The EmFHS was finely dispersed (481.8 nm ± 71.1 nm), shelf-stable, and contained predominantly 8-methoxypsoralen at a concentration of 1 mg/ml. Phototoxicity analysis of EmFHS for THP-1 cells under UV (365 nm) irradiation showed an IC50 of 19.1 µg/ml (24 h) and 6.3 µg/ml (48 h). In relation to spheroids (L929), EmFHS exhibited a phototoxic effect in the concentration range of 31.25-125 µg/ml8-MOP. A full phototoxic effect was observed 48 h after UV irradiation. The phototoxic effect of EmFHS in vitro was dose-dependent and comparable to the effect of emulsion synthetic 8-methoxypsoralen and chlorin e6 solution. EmFHS cytotoxicity was caused solely by UV radiation, and toxicity in the dark was minimal. EmFHS, administered at a dose of 3 mg/kg8-MOP, was found to be safe after a single intravenous administration to rats. It had a photosensitizing effect in the form of local photodermatitis when exposed to UV irradiation at a dose of 44 J/cm2. The biokinetics of emulsion furanocoumarins showed that the phototoxic effect of EmFHS is due to the high penetration ability of the emulsion into cells of spheroids. At the same time, it has a low degree of cumulation when administered intravenously. The obtained data suggest that EmFHS may be a promising treatment for PUVA therapy of various dermatological diseases. Additionally, the plant Heracleum sosnowskyi shows potential as a basis for creating new dosage forms with phototherapeutic effects.

Fabrication, structure, characterization and emulsion application of citrate agar

Citric acid esterified agar (CA) with different degrees of substitution (DS) was prepared, and CA gel was used to stabilize O/W emulsions. Compared with native agar (NA), CA had lower gel strength, higher transparency, and higher water contact angle. Further analysis of DS, group content ratio, Fourier transform infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance data showed that the CA underwent cross-linking reaction. Emulsion properties revealed that CA gel emulsion (CAGE) had smaller particle size and lower ζ-potential than the NA gel emulsion (NAGE). Meanwhile, confocal laser scanning microscopy confirmed that CA gel stabilized emulsions by forming a protective film around the oil droplets. Stability tests showed that CAGE (prepared with CA gel [DS = 0.145]) was more stable than NAGE at pH 3-11. Rheological results further confirmed that emulsion stability was influenced by electrostatic repulsion and gel adsorption. The application prospect of CAGE was evaluated by encapsulating vitamin D3 and curcumin.

Influence of physico-chemical properties of two lipoxin emulsion-loaded hydrogels on pre-polarized macrophages: a comparative analysis

Inflammation, a crucial defense mechanism, must be rigorously regulated to prevent the onset of chronic inflammation and subsequent tissue damage. Specialized pro resolving mediators (SPMs) such as lipoxin A4 (LXA4) have demonstrated their ability to facilitate the resolution of inflammation by orchestrating a transition of M1 pro-inflammatory macrophages towards an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. However, the hydrophobic and chemically labile nature of LXA4 necessitates the development of a delivery system capable of preserving its integrity for clinical applications. In this study, two types of emulsion were formulated using different homogenization processes:mechanical overhead stirrer (MEB for blank Emulsion and MELX for LXA4 loaded-Emulsion) or Luer-lock syringes (SEB for blank Emulsion and SELX for LXA4 loaded-Emulsion)). Following characterization, including size and droplet morphology assessment by microscopy, the encapsulation efficiency (EE) was determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). To exert control over LXA4 release, these emulsions were embedded within silanized hyaluronic acid hydrogels. A comprehensive evaluation, encompassing gel time, swelling, and degradation profiles under acidic, basic, and neutral conditions, preceded the assessment of LXA4 cumulative release using LC-MS/MS. Physicochemical results indicate that H-MELX (Mechanical overhead stirrer LXA4 Emulsion loaded-Hydrogel) exhibits superior efficiency over H-SELX (Luer-lock syringes LXA4 Emulsion loaded-Hydrogel). While both formulations stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and promoted a pro-inflammatory macrophage phenotype, LXA4 emulsion-loaded hydrogels displayed a diminished pro-inflammatory activity compared to blank emulsion-loaded hydrogels. These findings highlight the biological efficacy of LXA4 within both systems, with H-SELX outperforming H-MELX in terms of efficiency. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first successful demonstration of the biological efficacy of LXA4 emulsion-loaded hydrogel systems on macrophage polarization. These versatile H-MELX and H-SELX formulations can be customized to enhance their biological activity making them promising tools to promote the resolution of inflammation in diverse clinical applications.

Catalytic activity of Cu2O nanoparticles supported on cellulose beads prepared by emulsion-gelation using cellulose/LiBr solution and vegetable oil

Nanocatalysts tend to aggregate and are difficult to recycle, limiting their practical applications. In this study, an environmentally friendly method was developed to produce cellulose beads for use as supporting materials for Cu-based nanocatalysts. Cellulose beads were synthesized from a water-in-oil emulsion using cellulose dissolved in an LiBr solution as the water phase and vegetable oil as the oil phase. Upon cooling, the gelation of the cellulose solution produced spherical cellulose beads, which were then oxidized to introduce surface carboxyl groups. These beads (diameter: 95-105 μm; specific surface area: 165-225 m2 g-1) have a three-dimensional network of nanofibers (width: 20-30 nm). Furthermore, the Cu2O nanoparticles were loaded onto oxidized cellulose beads before testing their catalytic activity in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol using NaBH4. The apparent reaction rate constant increased with increasing loading of Cu2O nanoparticles and the conversion efficiency was >90 %. The turnover frequency was 376.2 h-1 for the oxidized cellulose beads with the lowest Cu2O loading, indicating a higher catalytic activity compared to those of other Cu-based nanoparticle-loaded materials. In addition to their high catalytic activity, the cellulose beads are reusable and exhibit excellent stability.

Inhibition performance of almond shell hydrochar-based fish oil emulsion gel on Klebsiella pneumonia inoculated fish skin and its characteristics

In this study, the inhibition potential against Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) and the characterization of fish oil (FO) emulsion gel (EGE) containing almond shell hydrochar (AH) were investigated. Oily water of mullet liver was emulsified using tween 80, then gelled using gelatin and finally immobilized into hydrochar using an ultrasonic homogenizer. Characteristics and surface analysis of hydrochar-based emulsion gel (HEGE) were examined using FTIR and SEM. Stability, particle size distribution and zeta potential of HEGE were measured. In this study, a zeta potential of -18.46 indicated that HEGE was more stable than EGE (35.7 mV). The addition of hydrochar to the emulsion gel containing micro-droplets enabled the structure to become fully layered and stable. Time-dependent inactivation of K. pneumoniae exposed to HEGE and fixed in 6 mm-fish skin was evaluated for the first time in this study. While the highest log reduction and percent reduction in the bacterial count were achieved within 5 min with 0.87 CFU/cm2 and 86.60% with EGE, the lowest log reduction and percent reduction were achieved with 0.003 CFU/cm2 and 0.082% with HEGE in 30 min. In conclusion, the almond shell hydrochar-immobilized emulsion gel is a functional adsorbent that can inhibit K. pneumonia, and its stability and performance make it a unique candidate for further studies in this field.

Preparation and properties of pH-sensitive cationic starch nanoparticles

Environmentally friendly and outstanding pH responsiveness cationic starch nanoparticles (CSNP) were prepared through ethanol precipitation from pH-sensitive starch, which preparation of cationic starch (CS) by grafting copolymerization with dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA). In this work, CSNP showed a nanometer size and regular sphere, highly free-flowing molecular chains, and outstanding pH responsiveness which was proved by the high stability of its stabilized emulsion through 6 emulsification/ demulsification transition. The result of the SEM and particle size distribution indicated that the size of the CSNP-0 was about 800 nm, and decreased with the DMAEMA increased. Moreover, the CSNP-stabilized emulsion was stable at pH = 7 and pH = 12. However, this emulsion exhibited breakage at pH = 2. In addition, the CSNP-stabilized Pickering emulsion achieved an emulsification/demulsification switching by cycling the pH at least 6 times, during which the average droplet size gradually increased. At pH ≥ 7, the emulsions exhibit shear thinning behavior.

Emollients in dermatological creams: Early evaluation for tailoring formulation and therapeutic performance

The targeted choice of the emollient of a cream determines its physicochemical properties and clinical effectiveness. This work researched the effects of emollient properties on the final characteristics and potential performance of oil-in-water dermatological creams. Seven emollients with different chemical characteristics and structures (alkane, triglyceride, ether, silicone, vegetable oils, and mineral oil) were tested in a model formulation. Early stability, pH, droplet size distribution, rheology, tackiness, adhesivity, spreadability, tribology, and release profile of a lipophilic substance model (in Franz cells, through a synthetic membrane, for six hours) were assessed. The creams had acid epicutaneous pH and a "shear-thinning" "solid-like" viscoelastic behavior. Among the seven emollients' properties, polarity, density, and viscosity were the most influential. Droplet parameters were the most impacted, pH and release were moderately affected, and the textural properties were lowly to moderately impacted. The emollient substitution in the model formulation affected the experimental parameters differently, allowing formulation optimization and tailoring its potential therapeutic performance regarding drug release, coadjutant effects, and dwell time on the skin. By looking at the creams' characteristics, it was possible to select the best-suited emollients for releasing a lipophilic drug, applying on painful skin, and formulation in wash-off products or leave-on protective barrier creams.

High internal phase emulsions stabilized by whey protein covalently modified with carboxymethyl cellulose: Enhanced environmental stability, storage stability and bioaccessibility

In this work, the effects of whey protein-carboxymethyl cellulose (WP-CMC) conjugates on the environmental stability, in vitro digestion stability, storage stability and bioaccessibility of high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) were investigated. Compared to the HIPEs stabilized by the mixture of WP and CMC, the HIPEs stabilized by WP-CMC were less sensitive to environmental changes by particle size and zeta-potential, and showed better stability and bioavailability of pine nut oil as well as β-carotene during simulated gastrointestinal digestion. In addition, the inclusion function and pine nut oil oxidative stability of the HIPEs stabilized by WP-CMC were better during 16 days of storage than those of the pine nut oil and HIPEs stabilized by the mixture of WP and CMC, and also expressed higher storage stability of β-carotene. These results suggested that the conjugate-stabilized emulsions developed in this study have potential applications as protectors and carriers of liposoluble active ingredients.

Comparative study of acetalated-dextran microparticle fabrication methods for a clinically translatable subunit-based influenza vaccine

The most common influenza vaccines are inactivated viruses produced in chicken eggs, which is a time-consuming production method with variable efficacy due to mismatches of the vaccine strains to the dominant circulating strains. Subunit-based vaccines provide faster production times in comparison to the traditional egg-produced vaccines but often require the use of an adjuvant to elicit a highly protective immune response. However, the current FDA approved adjuvant for influenza vaccines (MF59) elicits a primarily helper T-cell type 2 (Th2)-biased humoral immune response. Adjuvants that can stimulate a Th1 cellular response are correlated to have more robust protection against influenza. The cyclic dinucleotide cGAMP has been shown to provide a potent Th1 response but requires the use of a delivery vehicle to best initiate its signalling pathway in the cytosol. Herein, acetalated dextran (Ace-DEX) was used as the polymer to fabricate microparticles (MPs) via double-emulsion, electrospray, and spray drying methods to encapsulate cGAMP. This study compared each fabrication method's ability to encapsulate and retain the hydrophilic adjuvant cGAMP. We compared their therapeutic efficacy to Addavax, an MF59-like adjuvant, and cGAMP Ace-DEX MPs provided a stronger Th1 response in vaccinated BALB/c mice. Furthermore, we compared Ace-DEX MPs to spray dried MPs composed from a commonly used polymer for drug delivery, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA). We observed that all Ace-DEX MPs elicited similar humoral and cellular responses to the PLGA MPs. Overall, the results shown here indicate Ace-DEX can perform similarly to PLGA as a polymer for drug delivery and that spray drying can provide an efficient way to produce MPs to encapsulate cGAMP and stimulate the immune system.

Fabrication of a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-grafted alginate composite aerogel for efficient treatment of emulsified oily wastewater

The treatment of emulsion wastewater poses significant challenges. In this study, a novel porous material, namely esterified bagasse/poly(N, N-dimethylacrylamide)/sodium alginate (SBS/PDMAA/Alg) aerogel, was developed for efficient demulsification and oil recovery. By grafting a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) brush onto the SBS/PDMAA/Alg skeleton through free radical polymerization, the resulting aerogel exhibits both surface charge and a molecular brush structure. The aerogel demonstrates remarkable demulsification efficiency for cationic surfactant-stabilized emulsions at various concentrations, achieving a demulsification efficiency of 95.6% even at an oil content of 100 g L-1. Furthermore, the molecular brush structure extends the application range of the aerogel, enabling a demulsification efficiency of 98.3% for anionic and non-ionic surfactant-stabilized emulsions. The interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) structure formed by SBS, PDMAA, and alginate enhances the mechanical stability of the aerogel, enabling a demulsification efficiency of 91.3% even after 20 repeated cycles. The demulsification ability of the composite aerogel is attributed to its surface charge, high interfacial activity, and unique brush-like structure. A demulsification mechanism based on the synergistic effect of surface charge and molecular brush is proposed to elucidate the efficient demulsification process.

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.

Phycocyanin-chitosan complex stabilized emulsion: Preparation, characteristics, digestibility, and stability

Phycocyanin is a natural pigment protein with antioxidant, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory properties, but its relatively poor emulsibility limits its use in the food industry. In order to improve the emulsifying capacity of phycocyanin, a novel phycocyanin-chitosan complex was prepared, and the characteristics, digestibility, and stability of emulsion containing oil droplets stabilized by the complex were investigated. The results showed that the phycocyanin-chitosan complex had better stability and lower interfacial tension at pH 6.5 than phycocyanin, and it significantly improved the stability of emulsion and inhibited the aggregation of oil droplets. The phycocyanin-chitosan complex stabilized emulsion showed better physical stability, digestibility, and oxidation stability than the phycocyanin emulsion. The particle size of the phycocyanin-chitosan complex stabilized emulsion was very small (from 0.1 to 2 μm), and its absolute value of zeta potential was high. Overall, this study suggests that the phycocyanin-chitosan complex effectively improved the emulsifying capacity of phycocyanin.

Synthesis of soybean soluble polysaccharide-based eco-friendly emulsions for soil erosion prevention and control

This paper introduces the synthesis of an environmentally friendly emulsion that can be used as a soil anti-water erosion material. SSPS-g-P(BA-co-MMA-co-AA) emulsions were prepared using free radical copolymerization with soybean soluble polysaccharide (SSPS), acrylic acid (AA), butyl acrylate (BA), and methyl methacrylate (MMA). The structure, thermal stability, and morphology were characterized using FT-IR,TG,SEM, and particle diameter analysis. The resistance to water erosion, compressive strength and water retention of emulsion-treated loess/laterite was studied and germination tests were conducted. The results demonstrated that the duration of washout resistance of loess with 0.50 wt% emulsion exceeded 99 h, and the water erosion rate was 56.0 % after 72 h, while the water erosion rate of pure loess is 100.0 % after 4 min;the duration of washout resistance of laterite with 0.50 wt% emulsion exceeded 2 h, which was 8 times longer than pure laterite;The compressive strengths of 0.5 wt% emulsion-treated loess/laterite were 3.5 Mpa and 5.8 MPa, respectively, which were 7 and 9 times higher than that of pure soil. The plant seeds germinated normally half a month after planting. These findings suggest that emulsions can be used to control soil erosion without affecting the germination of plant seeds.

Optimization of Self-Double Emulsifying Drug Delivery System Using Design of Experiments for Enhanced Oral Bioavailability of Gentamicin: In-vitro, Ex-vivo and In-vivo Studies

Water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) double emulsions have shown excellent capability in augmenting the enteral bioavailability of BCS class III drugs, besides being effective controlled-release formulations. However, the problem of thermodynamic instability has restrained their industrial applicability. The self-double emulsifying drug delivery system (SDEDDS) is one of several approaches used to improve the stability of double emulsions. SDEDDS is a mixture of primary emulsion and secondary surfactant that can spontaneously emulsify into double emulsions in an external aqueous environment with mild agitation. Here, we prepared SDEDDS of gentamicin sulfate by response surface methodology. Selected optimized formulations (ODS1 and ODS2) were evaluated for zeta potential (Y1), optical clarity (Y2), release at 420 min (Y3), emulsion stability index (Y4) and self-emulsification time (Y5). For ODS1, Y1=-35.45 (±1.06)mV, Y2=53.19 (±0.35)%, Y3=75.79 (±0.60)%, Y4=93.97(±0.15)% and Y5=0.631 (±0.014)min, whereas for ODS2, Y1=-35.70 (±0.56)mV, Y2=48.09 (±0.64)%, Y3=76.61 (±0.99)%, Y4=93.00(±0.94)% and Y5=0.687(±0.02)min. Furthermore, ex-vivo studies on intestinal permeability revealed that SDEDDS improved membrane permeability compared to drug solution. Histopathology investigations revealed that SDEDDS promoted permeation without causing significant local membrane distortion. In addition, in-vivo studies revealed a 2.84 -fold increase in AUC0-∞ of optimized SDEDD compared to pure drug oral solution.

Insights into the emulsification mechanism of the surfactant-like protein oleosin

Oleosins are proteins with a unique central hydrophobic hairpin designed to stabilize lipid droplets (oleosomes) in plant seeds. For efficient droplet stabilization, the hydrophobic hairpin with a strong affinity for the apolar droplet core is flanked by hydrophilic arms on each side. This gives oleosins a unique surfactant-like shape making them a very interesting protein. In this study, we tested if isolated oleosins retain their ability to stabilize oil-in-water emulsions, and investigated the underlying stabilization mechanism. Due to their surfactant-like shape, oleosins when dispersed in aqueous buffers associated to micelle-like nanoparticles with a size of ∼33 nm. These micelles, in turn, clustered into larger aggregates of up to 20 µm. Micelle aggregation was more extensive when oleosins lacked charge. During emulsification, oleosin micelles and micelle aggregates dissociated and mostly individual oleosins adsorbed on the oil droplet interface. Oleosins prevented the coalescence of the oil droplets and if sufficiently charged, droplet flocculation as well.

Cow-urine emulsified diesel fuel: preparation, stability, and rheological study for diesel engine application

Water-diesel emulsion fuel has been found as a prominent alternative fuel by various researchers. Alike this technology, cow-urine (Bos indicus urine) emulsified diesel fuel (GMD emulsion) has been explored in this study. Making of homogeneous and stable emulsion is a crucial aspect in this approach while maintaining the diesel standards. Hence, the applicability of this fuel has been examined based on physicochemical properties for diesel engine application. The stability was assessed by creaming index, droplet size, Pdi, and interfacial tension. The minimum droplet size (278 nm) and 0.282 Pdi was obtained with 5.72 HLB value, 4% (v/v) surfactant, and 10% (v/v) of cow-urine through ultra-sonication. The optimized 10% GMD emulsion was found stable for more than 80 days. Viscosity and density of the fuel got increased with cow-urine and surfactant; however, they found within the standard limits. The physicochemical analysis exhibited the feasibility of the GMD emulsion for diesel engine application.

Improving the emulsifying capacity of brewers' spent grain arabinoxylan by carboxymethylation

Arabinoxylan derived from brewers' spent grain was carboxymethylated, and the emulsifying capacity of carboxymethylated arabinoxylans (CMAX) with different degrees of substitution (DS) was investigated. Results showed that carboxymethylation greatly enhanced the emulsifying capacity and emulsion stability of CMAX compared to the initial arabinoxylan. CMAX developed decreased ζ-potential, higher hydrophilicity, and improved interfacial adsorption capacity. Consequently, the denser and stronger interface on the oil droplet was formed, and the stabilizing mechanism was altered. Moreover, CMAX with lower DS could effectively stabilize emulsions during storage at a concentration of 0.5 % and pH between 6 and 7. Higher DS, however, led to poorer emulsion stability and greater flocculation as a result of the fragile interface formed by excess intermolecular ionic force. The research found CMAX potential in emulsion stabilizing and further applications in food processing.

Effects of association colloidal structures on the oxygen solubility in oil-in-water emulsion matrix

Although association colloidal structures are believed as major oxidation places, relationship of oxygen molecules with association colloids have not been evaluated in oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion. Oxygen solubility was determined in O/W emulsion containing dispersed phases with different charges of emulsifiers, numbers of dispersed droplets, and surface areas of dispersed droplets. The rates of lipid oxidation were also examined. O/W emulsion made of positively charged emulsifier had higher oxygen solubility than negatively charged and neutral emulsifiers. As number and surface area of oil droplet in O/W emulsion increased, higher oxygen solubility was observed, implying that dispersed phases could be places for oxygen molecules. O/W emulsion made of positively charged emulsifier had higher lipid oxidation than neutral emulsifier. O/W emulsion with more interfaces had lower oxidative stability, implying interfaces of association colloids could affect rates of lipid oxidation. Dispersed phase in O/W emulsion can be places for oxygen molecules.

Effect of starch-based emulsion with different amylose content on the gel properties of Nemipterus virgatus surimi

The emulsion was prepared with peanut oil and corn starch with different amylose content using high-speed homogenization assisted high-pressure homogenization, and the effect of starch-based emulsion on the gel properties, whiteness, microstructure, protein secondary structure, chemical forces, texture and sensory properties of Nemipterus virgatus surimi was investigated. The results showed that high amylose corn starch was more beneficial to the stability of emulsion than normal and waxy starch. The gel strength, water holding capacity and texture properties of surimi were significantly improved by adding 10 % waxy corn starch-based emulsion or 15 % high amylose or normal corn starch-based emulsion. Moreover, the whiteness of surimi gel containing starch-based emulsion was higher, and the microstructure was more compact and delicate than that of surimi without emulsion. The addition of starch-based emulsion could increase the hydrophobic interaction and disulfide bond content, and promote the transformation of protein secondary structure to irregular direction. The sensory properties such as color, texture, taste and overall acceptability could be improved to varying degrees. Therefore, starch-based emulsion could be used to enhance the gel properties and nutritional value of surimi products.

Synthesis and application of recyclable magnetic cellulose nanocrystals for effective demulsification of water in crude oil emulsions

The development of eco-friendly, efficient, and economical demulsifiers for the demulsification of water in crude oil emulsion is one of the important issues in the petroleum industry. Demulsifiers with suitable performance in several demulsification methods are good choices for effective and economical demulsification. In this study, recyclable magnetic cellulose nanocrystals have been synthesized from cotton by a simple method and used in the demulsification of water in crude oil emulsions. Chemical and magnetic demulsification by magnetic cellulose nanocrystals has been investigated. In addition, the effects of time, temperature, and demulsifier concentration on the demulsification efficiency have been evaluated. According to the results, this demulsifier can be used as an effective demulsifier for both chemical and magnetic demulsification and displayed a demulsification efficiency of 100 % at 50 °C without a magnet and 90 % at 20 °C with a magnet. The chemical demulsification efficiency of Fe3O4 nanoparticles was investigated and it showed lower DE compared to magnetic cellulose nanocrystals. The recyclability tests of the demulsifier indicated that magnetic cellulose nanocrystals can be used up to 4 times. Finally, the demulsification mechanism and interfacial tension measurements revealed that this demulsifier reduced the interfacial tension between water and crude oil and increased the water droplet sizes.

Development of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) protein isolate-gum Arabic conjugates via ultrasound-assisted wet heating for spice essential oils emulsification: Effects on water solubility, bioactivity, and sensory stimulation

Quinoa protein isolate-gum Arabic (QPI-GA) conjugates were developed by ultrasound-assisted wet heating to improve the water solubility and bioactivity of spice essential oils (EOs) in this study. The optimal conditions for QPI-GA conjugates preparation were found to be: heating temperature of 72 ℃, ultrasound power of 450 W, and reaction time of 46 min. QPI-GA conjugates displayed significantly higher emulsifying efficiency and stronger tolerance to pH variation, high salt concentration, and storage than raw materials. The emulsifying efficiency of emulsions was also influenced by the pH and viscosity of EOs, zeta potential of the emulsion as well as the relative density and lipid/water partition coefficient (P) of EOs were the possible factors impacting the stability of EO emulsions. The water solubility, antioxidant ability, and antibacterial ability of tested EOs were improved after emulsification. Meanwhile, encapsulation with QPI-GA conjugates played a good effect on reducing the sensory stimulation of EOs.

The role of polysaccharides in improving the functionality of zein coated nanocarriers: Implications for colloidal stability under environmental stresses

Zein has gained popularity over the past few years as an incredible food and bio-based materials. The potential functions and health benefits of zein microcapsules or micro-/nanoparticles in bioactive components delivery, structured emulsion, etc., have received great attention. However, the development has been limited by colloidal destabilization, especially when thermal processing is involved. There is a recent trend in developing zein-polysaccharide complexes (ZPCs), which has tremendously improved the performance of zein-based colloidal carrier systems or emulsions. Increasing our understanding of zein interactions and their contribution to the structure of various macromolecules can help us to develop novel biomaterials that can be used in food, agriculture, biomedicine, and cosmetics. In addition, these nanocarriers are suitable for the encapsulation and delivery of bioactive compounds which have positive perspective in food industry. Therefore, this article aimed to review recent advances in the ZPCs that can be applied to functional or health-promoting foods, with a focus on the characteristics of different ZPCs, factors and mechanisms affecting the stability (especially thermal stability) of these complexes, and their application in food industry as a carrier for BCs. Further, the stability of ZPCs based emulsions under processing and physiological environments, as well some typical effective methods are introduced. Also, the principal challenges and prospects were enumerated and discussed.

Biocompatible optical physically unclonable function hydrogel microparticles for on-dose authentication

On-dose authentication (ODA) enhances security by incorporating customized molecular or micro-tags into each pill, preventing counterfeit products in genuine packages. ODA's security relies on tag non-replication and non-reverse engineering. Combining ODA with graphical Physical Unclonable Functions (PUF) promises maximum security. PUF uses intrinsic micro or nanoscale randomness as a unique 'fingerprint'. However, current graphical PUFs have limitations like specific illumination requirements and the use of toxic materials, restricting their use in pharmaceuticals. In this study, we propose a novel approach called on-dose PUF. This method involves embedding microspheres randomly within micro biocompatible hydrogel particles. We showcase two distinct types of such on-dose PUFs. The first type utilizes randomly distributed superparamagnetic colloids (SPC) of identical diameters, while the second type utilizes vortexed sunflower oil drops of various diameters. The diameter and coordinates of the microspheres serve as input for generating cryptographic keys. A universal circle identification and binning program is used for extracting this information. One advantage of this approach is that it enables imaging using white light illumination and low-magnification microscopy, as color and signal intensity information are not crucial. This method enables patients to verify their medication by using their mobile phones from home. To assess the performance of the proposed on-dose PUF, we conducted canonical investigations on the single-diameter system. This system can only generate one layer of cryptographic keys, making it potentially more vulnerable than the multiple-diameter system. However, the single-diameter system successfully passed NIST Statistical tests and exhibited sufficient randomness, ideal bit uniformity, Hamming distance, and device uniqueness. Furthermore, we found that the encoding capacity of the single-diameter system was 9.2 × 10 18 , providing ample labeling potential.

Nanoparticles assisted intra and transdermic delivery of antifungal ointment: an updated review

This review paper highlights the trans-dermic delivery of nanoparticles (NPs) based antifungal ointments with the help of nanotechnology. It also describes the novel trans-dermal approach utilizing various nanoparticles which enables an efficient delivery to the target site. This current review gives an overview about past research and developments as well as the current nanoparticle-based ointments. This review also presents data regarding types, causes of infection, and different pathogens within their infection site. It also gives information about antifungal ointments with their activity and side effects of antifungal medicines. Additionally, this review also focuses on the future aspects of the topical administration of nanoparticle-based antifungal ointments. These nanoparticles can encapsulate multiple antifungal drugs as a combination therapy targeting different aspects of fungal infection. Nanoparticles can be designed in such a way that they can specifically target fungal cells and do not affect healthy cells. Nanoparticle based antifungal ointments exhibit outstanding potential to treat fungal diseases. As further research and advancements evolve in nanotechnology, we expect more development of nanoparticle-based antifungal formulations shortly. This paper discusses all the past and future applications, recent trends, and developments in the various field and also shows its bright prospective in the upcoming years.

Effects of glycation method on the emulsifying performance and interfacial behavior of coconut globulins-fucoidan complexes

Coconut globulins (CG) possesses potential as an emulsifier but has not been utilized well. In this study, the emulsifying performance of glycated CG-fucoidan (CGF) complexes, and the relationship between emulsifying stability and interfacial behavior were investigated. The results showed that the grafting of fucoidan increased the molecular weight of CG, and decreased the zeta potential and fluorescence intensity. With the higher glycosylation degree, the fucoidan modified CG exhibited better emulsifying stability and higher viscosity. Moreover, the result of adsorption kinetics revealed that elasticity was the main property of the interface layer. Compared to CG, CGF complexes with high degree of glycosylation had thicker interfacial layer on the oil-water interface. A thicker elastic interfacial layer may be beneficial to the emulsion stability, owing to the strong interaction of electrostatic repulsion and steric hindrance between oil droplets. These findings may provide useful information for glycated CGF complexes as emulsifiers in functional food.

Preparation of curcumin-loaded pectin-nisin copolymer emulsion and evaluation of its stability

In the paper, Nisin was grafted onto native pectin by the 1-ethyl-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC·HCl) method. Structure characterisation showed that the carboxyl group of pectin interacted with the amino group of Nisin and formed an amide bond. The highest grafting ratio of the modified pectin was up to 24.89 %. The emulsifying property of modified pectin, significantly improved, and emulsification performance improved with increasing grafting ratio. Emulsifying activity, emulsion stability, Zeta potential, and droplet morphology data demonstrate a notable enhancement in pectin's emulsifying properties due to Nisin's introduction, with the degree of grafting showing a direct correlation with the improvement observed. Pectin-based emulsion is utilized to load curcumin, enhancing its stability and bioavailability. Research findings highlight that the incorporation of Nisin-modified pectin significantly elevates curcumin encapsulation efficiency, while decelerating its release rate. Moreover, the stability of curcumin loaded in the modified pectin under light exposure, alkaline conditions, and long-term storage is also significantly improved. Ultimately, the bioavailability of curcumin escalates from 0.368 to 0.785.

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.

Characterization and stability of solid lipid nanoparticles produced from different fully hydrogenated oils

The use of lipids from conventional oils and fats to produce solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) attracting interest from the food industry, since due their varying compositions directly affects crystallization behavior, stability, and particle sizes (PS) of SLN. Thus, this study aimed evaluate the potential of fully hydrogenated oils (hardfats) with different hydrocarbon chain lengths to produce SLN using different emulsifiers. For that, fully hydrogenated palm kern (FHPkO), palm (FHPO), soybean (FHSO), microalgae (FHMO) and crambe (FHCO) oils were used. Span 60 (S60), soybean lecithin (SL), and whey protein isolate (WPI) were used as emulsifiers. The physicochemical characteristics and crystallization properties of SLN were evaluated during 60 days. Results indicates that the crystallization properties were more influenced by the hardfat used. SLN formulated with FHPkO was more unstable than the others, and hardfats FHPO, FHSO, FHMO, and FHCO exhibited the appropriate characteristics for use to produce SLN. Concerning emulsifiers, S60- based SLN showed high instability, despite the hardfat used. SL-based and WPI-based SLN formulations, showed a great stability, with crystallinity properties suitable for food incorporation.

Collagen-Induced Arthritis Models

Due to the limitations of using patient-derived samples for systemic kinetic studies in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) research, animal models are helpful for further understanding the pathophysiology of RA and seeking potential therapeutic targets or strategies. The collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model is one of the standard RA models used in preclinical research. The CIA model shares several pathological features with RA, such as breach of tolerance and generation of autoantibodies targeting collagen, synovial inflammatory cell infiltration, synovial hyperplasia, cartilage destruction, and bone erosion. In this chapter, a protocol for the successful induction of CIA in mice is described. In this protocol, CIA is induced by active immunization by inoculation with type II heterologous collagen in Freund's adjuvant in susceptible DBA/1 mice.

Precise control of aggregation morphology: Effective strategy to tune the properties of ovotransferrin particles

Different aggregation morphologies of ovotransferrin (OVT) aggregates were successfully obtained through precise control, and the effects on structural, physical, liquid-liquid and gas-liquid interfacial characteristics as well as mechanisms were explored for the first time. It was observed that the surface hydrophobicity of OVT fibrils was higher than OVT spheres due to the acid-heat treatment. The exploration of liquid-liquid interface behaviors indicated that OVT fibrils possessed higher adsorption capacity at the interface, revealing the higher surface activity at the oil-water interface. During adsorption process, fibrils exhibited higher diffusion rate, while spheres were easier to penetrate and rearrange at the interface. The interfacial film composed of fibrils possessed more elastic solid-like behaviors owing to the higher surface activity of individual fibrous aggregates and rapid fibril-fibril interactions. The analysis of gas-liquid interface characteristics presented that OVT spheres possessed lower interfacial tension and higher interfacial viscoelasticity, and showed significantly higher FC and FS values in comparation to fibrils. These findings will facilitate the reader's understanding of the relationship between protein aggregate structure and properties, and lay a foundation for broadening the application of OVT and even other proteins.

Carboxymethyl konjac glucomannan-chitosan complex nanogels stabilized emulsions incorporated into alginate as microcapsule matrix for intestinal-targeted delivery of probiotics: In vivo and in vitro studies

In this study, we developed a novel delivery system using carboxymethyl konjac glucomannan-chitosan (CMKGM-CS) nanogels stabilized single and double emulsion incorporated into alginate hydrogel as microcapsule matrix for intestinal-targeted delivery of probiotics. Through in vitro experiments, it was demonstrated that alginate hydrogel provided favorable biocompatible growth conditions for the proliferation of Lactobacillus reuteri (LR). The alginate hydrogel containing single (ASE) or double emulsions (ACG) enhanced the resistance of LR to various adverse environments. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion experiments revealed that the survivability of LR in free, CON, ASE and ACG group decreased by 6.45 log CFU/g, 4.21 log CFU/g, 1.26 log CFU/g and 0.65 log CFU/g, respectively. In vivo studies conducted in mice showed that ACG maintained its integrity during passage through the stomach and released the probiotics in the targeted intestinal area, whereas the pure alginate hydrogels (CON) were prematurely released in the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, the viable counts of ACG in different intestinal segments (jejunum, ileum, cecum, and colon) were increased by 1.11, 1.42, 1.68, and 1.89 log CFU/g, respectively, after 72 h of oral administration compared to the CON group. This research contributed valuable insights into the development of an effective microbial delivery system with potential applications in the biopharmaceutical and food industries.

Application of low-, and medium-molecular weight chitosan for preparation of spray-dried microparticles loaded with Ferulago angulata essential oil: Physicochemical, antioxidant, antibacterial and in-vitro release properties

The present work aimed at spray-drying encapsulation of Chavir (Ferulago angulata) essential oil (EO) using low-, and medium-molecular weight chitosan. The obtained EO was observed to be mainly composed of β-ocimene, α-pinene, and bornyl acetate with antioxidant, and antimicrobial activity. The results indicated that stable emulsions with uniform particle size distribution and encapsulation efficiencies higher than 93 % could be prepared using chitosan as feed for spray-drying. In addition, spray-drying resulted in fabricating stable microspheres with yields higher than 50 %, uniform particle size, and encapsulation efficiency exceeding 70 %. The microspheres were fairly soluble and hygroscopic, and exhibited antioxidant and bacteriostatic activities with a biphasic release pattern. FTIR characterisation confirmed successful encapsulation of EO and thermal properties of microspheres indicated enhanced stability of EO after microencapsulation. Overall, it was revealed that molecular weight of chitosan and EO:chitosan ratio affects some physicochemical properties of obtained chitosan microspheres.

Excipient emulsion prepared with pectin and sodium caseinate to improve the bioaccessibility of carotenoids in mandarin juice: The effect of emulsifier and polymer concentration

Excipient emulsions were prepared using different emulsifiers (pectin and sodium caseinate, individually or compositely) to study the emulsifying properties and their co-digested effects on the retention and bioaccessibility of carotenoids in mandarin juice, which is a good source of carotenoids in people's diet. Results showed that both pectin (PC) and pectin-sodium caseinate (PC-SC) emulsion significantly increased the carotenoids retention and bioaccessibility of mandarin juice, with the effects depending on both emulsifiers and polymer concentration. Whether for PC or PC-SC emulsion, lower pectin content accompanied with lower viscosity showed higher carotenoids bioaccessibility. And for the complexed emulsions, appropriate sodium caseinate addition could be more beneficial in improving carotenoids bioaccessibility. It had been found that the viscosity comparing with particle size seemed to play a more important role in affecting carotenoid bioaccessibility during the co-digestion. This study could provide a basis for improving the carotenoids bioaccessibility in the real system of fruits and vegetables with excipient emulsions.

Comparative effects of W/O and O/W emulsions on the physicochemical properties of silver carp surimi gels

The comparative effects of water-in-oil (W/O) and oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions on the physicochemical characteristics of silver carp surimi gels were investigated. The breaking force of surimi gels was 188.72 g, which decreased with increasing W/O emulsion but remained constant by adding O/W emulsion. The hardness decreased with increasing W/O emulsion, while the other parameters to TPA maintained constant whether the W/O or O/W emulsion was added. The yellowness value of surimi gels was 1.30, which increased with increasing W/O emulsion while remained constant after adding O/W emulsion. The water-holding capacity of surimi gels was invariant when emulsions increased. After emulsions added to surimi gels, no changes in the surimi protein interactions were found in electrophoretic patterns and Fourier transform infrared spectra. The increasing W/O emulsion enlarged the droplet size of oil and then destroyed the surimi gel network structure, while the oil droplets were evenly dispersed with increasing O/W emulsion.

Tiny, yet impactful: Detection and oxidative stability of very small oil droplets in surfactant-stabilized emulsions

HYPOTHESIS

The shelf life of multiphase systems, e.g. oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions, is severely limited by physical and/or chemical instabilities, which degrade their texture, macroscopic appearance, sensory and (for edible systems) nutritional quality. One prominent chemical instability is lipid oxidation, which is notoriously complex. The complexity arises from the involvement of many physical structures present at several scales (1-10,000 nm), of which the smallest ones are often overlooked during characterization.

EXPERIMENTS

We used cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) to characterize the coexisting colloidal structures at the nanoscale (10-200 nm) in rapeseed oil-based model emulsions stabilized by different concentrations of a nonionic surfactant. We assessed whether the oxidative and physical instabilities of the smallest colloidal structures in such emulsions may be different from those of larger colloidal structures.

FINDINGS

By deploying cryo-TEM, we analyzed the size of very small oil droplets and of surfactant micelles, which are typically overlooked by dynamic light scattering when larger structures are concomitantly present. Their size and oil content were shown to be stable over incubation, but lipid oxidation products were overrepresented in these very small droplets. These insights highlight the importance of the fraction of "tiny droplets" for the oxidative stability of O/W emulsions.

Water-soluble biopolymers from heat-treated and high pressure homogenized vegetable purées: investigating their emulsion forming and stabilizing capacities

The emulsion forming and stabilizing capacities of water-soluble biopolymers originating from the aqueous (serum) phase of heat-treated and high pressure homogenized purées were investigated. The serum biopolymers were characterized and then utilized as emulsifier/stabilizer in simple oil-in-water emulsions. The resulting emulsions were stored at 4 °C and monitored for 2 weeks. Results revealed that carrot and tomato sera contained higher amounts of pectin and lower protein compared to broccoli. The serum pectic biopolymers exhibited distinct molecular structures, depending on the vegetable origin. Given these natural biopolymer composition and characteristics, emulsions with small droplet sizes were observed at pH 3.5. However, emulsions at pH 6.0 showed large mean droplet sizes, except for the emulsion formulated with carrot serum. Regardless of the pH, emulsions containing carrot serum biopolymers exhibited high capacity to form fine emulsions that were stable during the 2-week storage period at low temperature. This study clearly shows the capacity of natural water-soluble biopolymers isolated from the serum phase of vegetable purées to form fine emulsion droplets and maintain its stability during storage, especially in the case of carrot serum biopolymers.

A novel strategy for improving the stability of myofibrillar protein emulsions at low ionic strength using high-intensity ultrasound combined with non-enzymatic glycation

Poor emulsification of myofibrillar proteins (MPs) limits the production of meat protein emulsion-type products, and it is related to the myosin self-assembles in low-salt settings. The effect of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) pretreatment combined with non-enzymatic glycation on MP-stabilized emulsions in low-salt settings was investigated in this study, and the potential mechanism was revealed. The results indicated that, compared to using either HIU or glycation treatment alone, HIU pretreatment in combination with glycation significantly improves the physical stability of emulsions while increasing the distribution uniformity and reducing the droplet particle size from 18.05 μm to 2.54 μm (P < 0.05). Correspondingly, the emulsion prepared using this approach exhibited a relatively high absolute zeta potential (-23.58 mV) and a high interfacial protein content (38.78 %) (P < 0.05), promoting molecular rearrangement and forming a continuous and stable interfacial layer. HIU pretreatment combined with glycation could offer reinforced electrostatic repulsion and steric hindrance to depolymerize self-assembled filamentous polymers, thus enhancing the stability of droplets. Additionally, the thermal sensitivity of the glycated MPs pretreated by HIU was remarkably reduced, thus improving the thermal stability of the corresponding emulsions.

Design of vortex-based cavitation devices/reactors: Influence of aspect ratio, number of inlets and shape

Vortex-based hydrodynamic cavitation devices are being used in a wide range of applications. However, adequate information on the design of such devices is not available. In this work, we have computationally investigated the influence of key design parameters such as the aspect ratio of the vortex chamber, the number of tangential inlets and the shape of the device on resulting flow characteristics and cavitation. Experiments were carried out to validate key findings from the computational studies. These investigations revealed that the aspect ratio of the vortex chamber as six may be considered as optimum. The performance of single and multiple inlet devices was found to be comparable at the same pressure drop (that is at same energy consumption per m3). Scale-up with a geometric similarity led to a reduction in the extent of cavitation for same energy consumption per m3. For facilitating scale-out option, an attempt was made to simplify the configuration of the vortex-based cavitation device. Computational results indicated that the cavitation performance of simplified configuration was not significantly inferior. A case of the formation of liquid-liquid emulsion was taken as a test case for evaluation of a modified cavitation device based on the present investigations. The droplet size distributions of emulsions generated by both the devices indicate that the proposed simplified configuration, which may facilitate fabrication and offer integrated scale-out options, performs almost at par with a complex configuration. The presented results will be useful for optimising designs of vortex-based hydrodynamic cavitation devices/ reactors.

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.

Dynamics of oil-water interface at the beginning of the ultrasonic emulsification process

A lot of effort has been dedicated in recent years towards understanding the basics of cavitation induced emulsification, mainly in the form of single cavitation bubbles. Regarding bulk acoustic emulsification, a lot less research has been done. In our here presented work we utilize advanced high-speed observation techniques in visible light and X-Rays to build upon that knowledge and advance the understanding of bulk emulsion preparation. During research we discovered that emulsion formation has an acute impact on the behavior of the interface and more importantly on its position relative to the horn, hence their interdependence must be carefully studied. We did this by observing bulk emulsification with 2 cameras simultaneously and corroborating these measurements with observation under X-Rays. Since the ultrasonic horns location also influences interface behavior, we shifted its initial position to different locations nearer to and further away from the oil-water interface in both phases. We found that a few millimeters distance between the horn and interface is not enough for fine emulsion formation, but that they must be completely adjacent to each other, with the horn being located inside the oil-water interface. We also observed some previously undiscovered phenomena, such as the splitting of the interface to preserve continuous emulsion formation, climbing of the interface up the horn and circular interface protrusions towards the horn forming vertical emulsion streams. Interestingly, no visible W/O emulsion was ever formed during our experiments, only O/W regardless of initial horn position.

Quality characteristics of peanut protein-based patties produced with pre-emulsified olive oil as a fat replacer: Influence of acylglycerol type

The emulsion (O/W) may be used as a fat replacer to develop healthier meat analogs. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effects of oil incorporation methods (direct oil addition and emulsion addition) and oil types [triacylglycerol (TAG) and diacylglycerol (DAG)] on the quality characteristics of peanut protein-based patties crosslinked by transglutaminase (TGase). The patties formulated with emulsions showed larger texture parameters (springiness, cohesiveness and gumminess), lower cooking loss and higher acceptability compared with directly adding oil. The rheological results confirmed that the presence of emulsions strengthened the gel structure in patties, which allowed the patties containing emulsions to stabilize free water. Whereas, TAG-based emulsion was more effective than DAG-based emulsion in improving quality of products, possibly because the competitive adsorption at oil-water interface of DAG reduced the crosslinking between the interfacial protein and adjacent protein molecules. This study revealed the relationship between the acylglycerol type in emulsion and the patty quality, providing a reference for the development of plant-based patties.