Biopolymer-stabilized emulsions on the basis of interactions between β-lactoglobulin and ι-carrageenan

ι-Carrageenan and β-lactoglobulin (β-lg) stabilized oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions, which can be used for the oral administration of bioactive but environmentally sensitive ingredients, have been successfully prepared. The effects of protein/polysaccharide ratios, total biopolymer concentration, environmental stress (thermal processing and sonication), and pH on the complex formation between ι-carrageenan and β-lactoglobulin have been investigated. We found that β-lactoglobulin and ι-carrageenan stabilized emulsions can be formed at pH values of 6.0, 4.0, and 3.4. However, the microstructures of emulsions stabilized by β-lactoglobulin and ι-carrageenan was identified by optical microscopy, and it indicated that the emulsion prepared at pH 6.0 flocculated more extensively, while its hydrodynamic radius was much bigger than those prepared at pH 4.0 and 3.4. Regarding rheological properties, the emulsion of pH 6.0 showed a more solid-like behavior but with a lower viscosity than those of pH 4.0 and 3.4. The optimum concentration ranges for β-lg and ι-carrageenan to form stable emulsions at pH 4.0 and 3.4 were 0.3 wt-%-0.6 wt-% and 0.4 wt-%-0.7 wt-%, respectively. © 2009 Higher Education Press and Springer Berlin Heidelberg.