The incorporation of lipid ingredients into food matrices presents a main drawback—their susceptibility to oxidation—which is associated with the loss of nutritional properties and the generation of undesirable flavors and odors. Oil-in-water emulsions are able to stabilize and protect lipid compounds from oxidation. Driven by consumers’ demand, the search for natural emulsifiers, such as proteins, is gaining much interest in food industries. This paper evaluates the in vitro emulsifying properties of protein hydrolysates from animal (whey protein concentrate) and vegetal origin (a soy protein isolate). By means of statistical modelling and bi-objective optimization, the experimental variables, namely, the protein source, enzyme (i.e., subtilisin, trypsin), degree of hydrolysis (2–14%) and emulsion pH (2–8), were optimized to obtain their maximal in vitro emulsifying properties. This procedure concluded that the emulsion prepared from the soy protein hydrolysate (degree of hydrolysis (DH) 6.5%, trypsin) at pH 8 presented an optimal combination of emulsifying properties (i.e., the emulsifying activity index and emulsifying stability index). For validation purposes, a fish oil-in-water emulsion was prepared under optimal conditions, evaluating its physical and oxidative stability for ten days of storage. This study confirmed that the use of soy protein hydrolysate as an emulsifier stabilized the droplet size distribution and retarded lipid oxidation within the storage period, compared to the use of a non-hydrolyzed soy protein isolate.

There has been a growing interest in developing effective strategies to inhibit lipid oxidation in emulsified food products by utilization of natural phenolic antioxidants owing to their growing popularity over the past decades. However, due to the complexity of emulsified systems, the inhibition mechanism of phenolic antioxidants against lipid oxidation is rather complicated and not yet fully understood. In order to highlight the importance of polarity of phenolic antioxidants in emulsified systems according to the polar paradox, this review covers the recent progress on chemical, enzymatic, and chemoenzymatic lipophilization techniques used to modify the polarity of antioxidants. The partitioning behavior of phenolic antioxidants at the oil–water interface, which can be influenced by the presence of synthetic surfactants and/or antioxidant emulsifiers (e.g., polysaccharides, proteins, and phospholipids), is discussed. In addition, the emerging phenolic antioxidants among phenolic acids, flavonoids, tocopherols, and stilbenes applied in food emulsions are elaborated. As well, the interactions of polar–nonpolar antioxidants are stressed as a promising strategy to induce synergistic interactions at oil–water interface for improved oxidative stability of emulsions.

The incorporation of lipid ingredients into food matrices presents a main drawback&mdash:their susceptibility to oxidation&mdash:which is associated with the loss of nutritional properties and the generation of undesirable flavors and odors. Oil-in-water emulsions are able to stabilize and protect lipid compounds from oxidation. Driven by consumers&rsquo: demand, the search for natural emulsifiers, such as proteins, is gaining much interest in food industries. This paper evaluates the in vitro emulsifying properties of protein hydrolysates from animal (whey protein concentrate) and vegetal origin (a soy protein isolate). By means of statistical modelling and bi-objective optimization, the experimental variables, namely, the protein source, enzyme (i.e., subtilisin, trypsin), degree of hydrolysis (2&ndash:14%) and emulsion pH (2&ndash:8), were optimized to obtain their maximal in vitro emulsifying properties. This procedure concluded that the emulsion prepared from the soy protein hydrolysate (degree of hydrolysis (DH) 6.5%, trypsin) at pH 8 presented an optimal combination of emulsifying properties (i.e., the emulsifying activity index and emulsifying stability index). For validation purposes, a fish oil-in-water emulsion was prepared under optimal conditions, evaluating its physical and oxidative stability for ten days of storage. This study confirmed that the use of soy protein hydrolysate as an emulsifier stabilized the droplet size distribution and retarded lipid oxidation within the storage period, compared to the use of a non-hydrolyzed soy protein isolate.

Because many common foods are emulsions (mayonnaise, coffee creamers, salad dressing, etc.), a better understanding of lipid oxidation mechanisms in these systems is crucial for the formulation, production, and storage of the relevant consumer products. A research body has focused on the microstructural and oxidative stability of protein-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions that are structurally similar to innovative products that have been recently developed by the food industry (e.g., non-dairy creams, vegetable fat spreads, etc.) This review presents recent findings about the factors that determine the development of lipid oxidation in emulsions where proteins constitute the stabilizing interface. Emphasis is given to “endogenous” factors, such as those of compositional (e.g., protein/lipid phases, pH, presence of transition metals) or processing (e.g., temperature, droplet size) nature. Improved knowledge of the conditions that favor the oxidative protection of protein in emulsions can lead to their optimized use as food ingredients and thereby improve the organoleptic and nutritional value of the related products.

In this study, we investigated the tailoring of food emulsions using interactions between rice bran cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and lauric arginate (LAE), which is food-grade cationic surfactant. Complexes of anionic CNCs and cationic LAE (CNCs/LAE) were formed through electrostatic attraction which were characterized using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), turbidity, and zeta-potential measurements. The saturation complexes could be formed at ratios of 1:2 (w/w) CNCs-to-LAE. Furthermore, the physical and oxidative stability of oil-in-water emulsions containing lipid droplets coated by CNCs/LAE complexes was determined. Electrostatic complexes formed from 0.02% CNCs and 0.1% LAE produced stable Pickering emulsions that were resistant to droplet coalescence. It was also exhibited that 0.02% CNCs and 0.1% LAE complexes stabilized-emulsions was able to extend the lag phase to 20 days for lipid hydroperoxide and to 14 days for hexanal production. This study shows that food-grade Pickering emulsions with good stability can be produced by CNCs with LAE complexes.

There is growing demand for functional food products enriched with long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCω3PUFA). Nanoemulsions, systems with extremely small droplet sizes have been shown to increase LCω3PUFA bioavailability. However, nanoemulsion creation and processing methods may impact on the oxidative stability of these systems. The present systematic review collates information from studies that evaluated the oxidative stability of LCω3PUFA nanoemulsions suitable for use in functional foods. The systematic search identified seventeen articles published during the last 10 years. Researchers used a range of surfactants and antioxidants to create systems which were evaluated from 7 to 100 days of storage. Nanoemulsions were created using synthetic and natural emulsifiers, with natural sources offering equivalent or increased oxidative stability compared to synthetic sources, which is useful as consumers are demanding natural, cleaner label food products. Equivalent vegetarian sources of LCω3PUFA found in fish oils such as algal oils are promising as they provide direct sources without the need for conversion in the human metabolic pathway. Quillaja saponin is a promising natural emulsifier that can produce nanoemulsion systems with equivalent/increased oxidative stability in comparison to other emulsifiers. Further studies to evaluate the oxidative stability of quillaja saponin nanoemulsions combined with algal sources of LCω3PUFA are warranted.

Ethanol and water extracts were prepared from defatted cranberry pomace by pressurized liquid extraction and tested in bacterial cultures of L. monocytogenes, B. thermospacta, P. putida, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB), and pork meat products. Anthocynanins (glucosides, galactosides and arabinosides of cyanidin and peonidins), phenolic compounds and organic acids (quinic, chlorogenic, malic and citric acids; procyanidin B3, myricetin and quercetin derivatives) were determined in the extracts. The extracts effectively inhibited the growth of tested bacteria at higher than 3.3% concentration. The effect of 2% ethanol extract additive on the inhibition of the same bacteria was also determined in non-inoculated and inoculated with bacteria pork slurry, pork burgers, and cooked ham. The results showed a significant growth inhibition of pathogenic L. monocytogenes and some other species in pork slurry, burgers and cooked ham with cranberry pomace ethanol extract as compared with the control samples. The extract also effectively inhibited the formation of oxidation indicator malondialdehyde in meat products. Slight impact of extract on some physico-chemical properties of meat products such as pH, metmyoglobin content was also observed, while it did not have significant influence on water activity. Extract addition imparted some color changes; however, it did not have negative effect on the overall sensory quality of burgers and cooked ham. High effectiveness of extract additive against pathogenic L. monocytogenes and some other tested bacteria in pork slurry, burgers and cooked ham during refrigerated storage for 16, 16 and 40 days, respectively, suggest that ethanol extract of defatted cranberry pomace may be a promising natural ingredient of meat products for increasing their microbiological safety and improving oxidative stability.