Modulating the functional properties of protein-stabilized pickering emulsion by inulin, xanthan gum and chitosan

The application of protein-stabilized Pickering emulsions can be improved by coating polysaccharides. This work investigated the effect of different charged polysaccharides including neutral inulin, anionic xanthan gum (XG), and cationic chitosan on the functional properties of Pickering emulsions stabilized by gelatin/catechin nanoparticles (GC). The addition of polysaccharides was found to enhance the ordered structure of protein at the oil-water interfaces, decrease the backscattering of the emulsions, inhibit the flow rate of the droplets by increasing viscosity. The creaming rates of emulsions with XG, chitosan and inulin were decreased to 2.18 ± 0.04 × 102, 1.55 ± 0.05 × 102 and 5.27 ± 0.18 × 102 mm/h, respectively, compared with that of GC emulsion without polysaccharides (6.08 ± 0.22 × 102 mm/h). Noteworthy, the emulsions composed of XG and chitosan exhibited greatly the physical stability, due to strong electrostatic repulsion and electrostatic deposition, respectively. In vitro digestion of emulsions showed that the lipid digestibility was reduced from 82.6% ± 0.21% to 72.8% ± 0.64%, 55.8% ± 0.93%, and 58.3% ± 0.41% in the presence of inulin, XG, and chitosan, respectively. These findings reveal a possible method for protein-stabilized Pickering emulsions to delivering bioactive compounds and designing lipid digestion inhibition systems.