Unlocking the synergy of oils and mung bean protein nanoparticles to develop Pickering emulsions: Characterization,...

The interaction mechanism of plant-based oils and emulsifiers has not been fully explored yet. In the present study, a synergism between plant-based mung bean protein nanoparticles (MBNPs) and selected plant-derived oils [mustard oil (MO), watermelon seed oil (WO), and rice bran oil (RBO)] was investigated for the development of stable oil-in-water Pickering emulsions (PEs). Oil properties such as apparent viscosity, density, free fatty acids, and fatty acid profiles have a dominant effect on the droplet size and stability of PEs. PEs exhibited non-Newtonian shear-thinning behavior, and the apparent viscosity increased with an increasing concentration of MBNPs (0.5-2.5 %). PEs were less stable at lower concentrations of MBNPs at room temperature (28 days) and selected pH levels (3, 7, and 9). Simple Least Squares Method (SLSM) demonstrated that the RBO with 2 % of MBNPs produced the optimal formulation for PE, with an overall desirability score of 0.812, considering an effective balance among the quality parameters [e.g., particle size (PS), zeta potential (ζ), free fatty acids (FFAs), and CI_{28 days}]. These findings suggest that the incorporation of 2 % concentrations of MBNPs can significantly enhance the stability of PE and can be used for efficient delivery of bioactive compounds.