Characterization of Starch Nanocrystals from Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet and Its Application as a Stabilizer in Pickering Emulsions

Abstract Pickering emulsions is a concept developed to address the weaknesses of conventional colloidal systems. The stabilization of Pickering emulsions by starch nanocrystals (SNCs) is proposed due to their small size, in this study the physicochemical properties of SNCs extracted from Lablab purpureus (L.) sweet starch and its role as a pickering emulsifier are evaluated. SNCs are obtained using two conventional hydrolysis methods (acid hydrolysis [AH] and enzymatic hydrolysis [EH]) and characterized based on their structural, thermal, and crystallinity properties. The particle diameter of nanocrystals ranges from 92 to 135 nm with highly stable zeta‐potential values. FTIR analysis confirms that there are higher peak intensities observed for L. purpureus SNCs compared to native starch. Water and oil binding capacity results show that hydrophobic and hydrophilic capacities of native starch are altered significantly after EH and AH. For application and stability evaluation, emulsions are prepared by utilizing SNCs concentrations from 0.1 to 1.5% w/v. The 1.5% concentration of SNCs AH and EH shows the best physical, thermal, and storage stability compared to lower concentrations. Findings from this study show that this natural‐based nanocrystal has high potential for use as a stabilizer or emulsifier in colloidal systems.