Flaxseed Fiber-Structured Nanoemulgels for Salad Dressing Applications: Processing and Stability.

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Materials Science
• Rheology

Background:

• Nanoemulgels offer potential for food applications, but their stability and properties require optimization.
• Flaxseed fiber presents a promising natural component for structuring food systems.
• Microfluidization is a key technique for producing nanoemulsions and nanoemulgels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the production of flaxseed fiber-based nanoemulgels for salad dressing applications.
• To determine the effect of microfluidizer passes on nanoemulgel properties.
• To assess the physical, rheological, and thermal stability of the developed nanoemulgels.

Main Methods:

• Nanoemulgels were produced using rotor-stator homogenization followed by microfluidization.
• Characterization involved laser diffraction, multiple light scattering, and rheological measurements.
• Physical and thermal stability were evaluated under different conditions.

Main Results:

• Nanoemulgels exhibited monomodal particle size distributions below 220 nm.
• Two microfluidizer passes resulted in superior physical stability and optimal gel-like properties.
• The nanoemulgels demonstrated good thermal stability within a temperature range of 5-20 °C.

Conclusions:

• Microfluidization is an effective method for creating stable flaxseed fiber nanoemulgels.
• The optimal formulation (two passes) shows potential for functional food systems like salad dressings.
• Further research can explore specific applications and sensory attributes.