Abstract:Pickering emulsion has garnered widespread application in the food industry, underscoring the significance of elucidating the interplay between stabilizer properties and the stability of the emulsion. Two distinct mixed systems were prepared: one comprising microcrystalline cellulose and soy protein isolate, and another featuring cellulose nanocrystal and soy protein isolate. The differences in surface charge, micromorphology, conformational structure, and interfacial adsorption characteristics of the systems were compared. The protein interfacial adsorption rate was reduced from 52.19% to 40.55%, and the emulsion particle size was increased from 13.26 μm to 20.58 μm by the incorporation of microcrystalline cellulose in soy protein isolate system, with no significant improvement being observed in the rheological properties or stability of the Pickering emulsion. Complexes were formed with cellulose nanocrystal and protein through electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds. While the spatial network structure was formed to construct the stable emulsion. The protein interfacial adsorption rate was increased to a range of 59.16% to 76.81%, and a smaller emulsion particle size was achieved, spanning from 3.99 μm to 6.75 μm. Notably, superior rheological properties and stability were demonstrated in the Pickering emulsion formulated with cellulose nanocrystal-soy protein isolate complexes exhibiting a high cellulose nanocrystal ratio, with optimal performance observed at a cellulose nanocrystal-to-soy protein isolate ratio of 1:3. In summary, cellulose nanocrystal can be utilized to construct well-characterized Pickering emulsion through the formation of complexes with protein. The research not only offers theoretical insights for the development of cellulose derivatives-soy protein isolate Pickering emulsion, but also presents an innovative and effective strategy for creating stable Pickering emulsion.
