Development and characterization of high-performance macadamia oil-based oleogel emulsions

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Material Science
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Macadamia oil's high monounsaturated fatty acid content is valuable but limited by fluidity and oxidation.
• Developing stable macadamia oil formulations is crucial for expanding its food industry applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create highly stable oleogels from macadamia oil using a β-sitosterol/γ-oryzanol (BS-GO) composite system.
• To characterize the physical properties, antioxidant capacity, and emulsion stability of these novel oleogels.

Main Methods:

• Macadamia oil was used as a base for oleogel development with varying BS-GO concentrations (6%-12%).
• Physical properties (hardness, oil-binding capacity), antioxidant activity (DPPH assay), and emulsion characteristics were evaluated.
• Emulsion stability was tested under thermal, freeze-thaw, and ionic strength variations, alongside accelerated oxidation studies.

Main Results:

• A gelation threshold of 6% BS-GO was established, with 7%-12% BS-GO forming a dense network.
• Optimized 12% BS-GO oleogel showed high hardness (6283.96 g) and oil-binding (99.51%), with significant antioxidant activity (1922.18 μmol TE/100 g).
• Whey protein isolate-stabilized emulsions exhibited small droplet size (256.86 nm) and high zeta potential (-32.93 mV), demonstrating excellent stability and oxidation inhibition.

Conclusions:

• The BS-GO composite system effectively transforms macadamia oil into stable oleogels and oleogel-based emulsions.
• These formulations offer enhanced physical properties, antioxidant capacity, and stability, suitable for food industry applications.
• This research provides a foundation for the high-value utilization of macadamia oil in advanced food products.