Electrospinning Device: Regenerated silk fibroin for stabilizing fish oil loaded Pickering emulsion

Background

Protein nanoparticles have been widely studied and developed for their natural origin, non-toxicity, abundant materials and good surface activity, and have been used to stabilize Pickering emulsions. These nanoparticles, especially protein nanofibrils, are considered promising candidates for stabilizing Pickering emulsions because of their high aspect ratio, which can generate high capillary forces at the interface and thus generate extremely high separation energy.

Study on the stability of fish oil emulsions

As a natural product rich in omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids, fish oil plays an important physiological function in human health. However, the undesirable factors of fish oil, such as fishy smell, easy oxidation and poor water solubility, limit its application in the food and pharmaceutical fields. Exploring how to effectively make fish oil into emulsions, especially using the characteristics of nanofibrils to improve the stability of emulsions, has become a research hotspot in the field of food science.

Application of regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) as an emulsifier

Regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) is a high molecular weight protein purified from silkworm cocoons with more hydrophobic amphiphilic properties. RSF can form an interconnected network at the oil/water interface to stabilize the emulsion, and its stabilized Pickering emulsion containing fish oil shows low emulsification during long-term storage. RSF is also an excellent emulsifier for preparing semi-gels and gels containing fish oil emulsions. Preparation parameters such as oil/water volume ratio, homogenization energy input and RSF concentration have a significant impact on emulsion stability and formation.

Key factors for the stability of Pickering emulsions

The stability of Pickering emulsions is affected by many factors, including the presence of electrolytes, the pH of the continuous phase, the shape and concentration of solid particles, etc. Protein nanoparticle-stabilized Pickering emulsions have attracted attention due to their safe and stable properties, especially food-grade particles such as polysaccharides, proteins and lipids.

Protein-polysaccharide composite particle-stabilized Pickering emulsions

Using the natural protein-polysaccharide composite method, the interfacial behavior can be adjusted by using the complementary hydrophilic and hydrophobic methods to obtain composite particles with good wettability of the two phases and suitable for stabilizing Pickering emulsions. This composite particle-stabilized Pickering emulsion avoids the introduction of synthetic modifiers and improves the safety of the emulsion; at the same time, the interaction between protein and polysaccharide can form a special network structure between droplets, further enhancing the stability of the emulsion.

Summary

In summary, the application of protein nanoparticles, especially regenerated silk fibroin (RSF), in stabilizing Pickering emulsions shows great potential. By adjusting the preparation parameters, the stability and formation of the emulsion can be optimized, which is of great significance for the development of the field of food emulsions.

Electrospinning Nanofibers Article Source:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S092777572300105X