Role of oil polarity on myofibrillar protein emulsions stability: A multi-scale research

The oil polarity was hypothesized to significantly influence the microscopic conformation of interfacial myofibrillar protein (MP) and thus the mesoscopic interfacial rheology of MP film, which ultimately tuned the macroscopic stability of MP-stabilized emulsions. In this research, the inner mechanism was revealed hierarchically based on emulsions multi-scale properties, by a combination of in vitro interfacial concentration measurement, dynamic interfacial tension measurement and interfacial dilatational rheology (highlighting Lissajous plots). Then, the above conclusion was verified through in silico molecular dynamic simulation. At macroscopic level, the light scattering results showed that emulsion prepared with higher polarity oil exhibited higher physical stability. This could be explained from the mesoscopic perspective that: (1) the adsorption dynamics of MP was faster (though lower diffusion rate, but higher penetration and rearrangement rate) on the higher polarity interface, which decreased interfacial tension more efficiently; (2) adsorption ratio, surface load and desorption ratio indicated that ‘multilayer interfacial film’ was formed by loosely-bound MP on the lower polarity interface, which decreased the effective interfacial coverage to impair emulsions stability; (3) Lissajous plots showed that interfacial structure with higher stability against large deformation was formed on the higher polarity oil interface. Finally, the microscopic molecular mechanism for explaining the above findings was revealed by in silico molecular dynamic simulation: though MP was less unfolded on the higher polarity interface leading to weaker intermolecular hydrophobic interactions, this compact molecular structure with stronger intramolecular rigidity predominantly contributed to steadier interfacial film structure. This multi-scale study provides a deep insight into the inner relationship between oil polarity and emulsions stability.