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Formation, Structure, and Functionality of Interfacial Layers in Food Emulsions
Claire C Berton-Carabin1, Leonard Sagis2, Karin Schroën1
1Food Process Engineering Group, Wageningen University, 6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands;
Annual Review of Food Science and Technology
|January 20, 2018
Summary
Food emulsions, dispersions of liquid droplets, are stabilized by their thin oil-water interfaces. Understanding interface composition, structure, and properties is key to controlling emulsion stability through interfacial engineering.
Area of Science:
- Food science and technology
- Colloid and surface science
Background:
- Emulsions are ubiquitous in food products, consisting of liquid droplets dispersed in a non-miscible liquid.
- The oil-water interface, though nanometers thick, offers a large surface area critical for emulsion stability.
- Complex factors like surface-active molecules, processing, and chemical changes influence interfacial properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review factors governing the composition, structure, and mechanical properties of food emulsion interfaces.
- To survey conventional and recent methods for studying liquid-liquid interfaces.
- To link interfacial properties to emulsion stability and explore interfacial engineering for control.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of interfacial science in food emulsions.
- Analysis of methods for studying oil-water interfaces at various scales.
- Synthesis of data on the relationship between interfacial properties and emulsion stability.
Main Results:
- Interfacial composition, structure, and mechanical properties are crucial for emulsion stability.
- Numerous methods exist to study these interfaces, from conventional to advanced techniques.
- Interfacial engineering offers a pathway to control physical, chemical, and digestive stability.
Conclusions:
- The interface is a critical determinant of food emulsion stability.
- A comprehensive understanding of interfacial phenomena is essential for emulsion design.
- Targeted interfacial engineering can optimize emulsion performance and shelf-life.
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