Tagatose esters for high internal phase emulsion stabilization: Synthesis and structure-property relationships.

Area of Science:

• Food Chemistry
• Surfactant Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Sugar esters are valuable emulsifiers in functional foods.
• Tagatose is a low-calorie sugar with beneficial functional properties.
• Developing novel, low-calorie emulsifiers is crucial for healthier food formulations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enzymatically synthesize and evaluate tagatose-based fatty acid monoesters.
• To determine the emulsifying capabilities of these novel sugar esters.
• To assess the stability of emulsions formulated with tagatose esters.

Main Methods:

• Enzymatic synthesis of tagatose fatty acid monoesters (C8-C22).
• Characterization of hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) values.
• Evaluation of oil-water interfacial tension reduction.
• Formulation and stability testing of high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs).

Main Results:

• Synthesized tagatose esters exhibit tunable HLB values (5.8-9.7).
• Esters significantly reduce interfacial tension at low concentrations (0.05-0.1 wt%).
• C8-C14 chain esters effectively stabilize oil-in-water HIPEs (75% oil phase).
• Formulated HIPEs show high stability over 27 days, across temperatures (25-65°C), and through freeze-thaw cycles.

Conclusions:

• Tagatose fatty acid monoesters are effective emulsifiers for functional food applications.
• These low-calorie sugar esters offer tunable properties and excellent emulsion stability.
• Tagatose esters represent a promising class of next-generation surfactants for food systems.