Interactions between partially gelatinized starch and nonstarch components in potato flour and their performance in emulsification

To develop natural complex materials as starch-dominated emulsifiers, pregelatinization was conducted on potato flour. The effects of gelatinization degrees (GDs, 0 %–50 %) on the structural characteristics, physicochemical properties, and emulsifying potentials of potato flour were investigated. Increasing GD of potato flour promoted protein aggregation on starch granules surfaces and transformed starch semicrystalline structures into melted networks. The emulsion stabilized with 50 % GD potato flour exhibited excellent storage stability (7 d) and gel-like behavior. With increasing GD from 0 to 50 %, the respective apparent viscosities and elastic moduli of emulsion increased from 21.4 Pa to 1126.7 Pa, and from 0.133 Pa·s to 1176.6 Pa·s, promoting the formation of a stable network structure in the emulsion. Fourier transform infrared spectra from emulsions with a continuous phase of >20 % GD displayed a new peak around 1740 cm−1, suggesting improved covalent interactions between droplets, thereby facilitating emulsion stability. Confocal laser scanning microscopy images indicated that droplets could be anchored in the melted networks and broken starch granules, inhibiting droplets coalescence. These results suggest that pregelatinization is a viable strategy for customizing natural starch-dominated emulsions.