1 research outputs found
Protein-Based Pickering Emulsion and Oil Gel Prepared by Complexes of Zein Colloidal Particles and Stearate
This paper describes the successful
preparation of a protein-based
Pickering emulsion, with superior stability against both coalesence
and creaming, through a novel strategy of facilitating the formation
of protein particles and small molecular weight surfactant complexes;
these complexes are able to overcome multiple challenges including
limited solubility, poor diffusive mobility, and low interfacial loading.
Soluble complexes of water-insoluble corn protein, zein colloidal
particles, and surfactant sodium stearate (SS) were fabricated by
simple ultrasonication. Gel trapping technology combined with SEM
was applied to characterize the adsorbed particles monolayer at the
oil–water interface; results revealed an enhanced adsorption
and targeted accumulation of zein particles at the interface with
the increase of SS concentration. Partial unfolding of zein particles
modified by SS above its critical complexation concentration triggered
the aggregation and close packing of particles at the oil–water
interface and endowed a steric barrier against the coalescence of
oil droplets. Moreover, protein-based oil gels without oil leakage
were obtained by one-step freeze-drying of the zein-stabilized Pickering
emulsions, which could be developed to a viable strategy for structuring
liquid oils into semisolid fats without the use of saturated or <i>trans</i> fats