Microwave Pretreatment of Peanuts Modulates Oil Body Emulsion Stability: Mechanism and Application as a Source...

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Biotechnology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Peanut oil body emulsions (POBEs) present challenges in aqueous enzymatic extraction due to their inherent stability.
• Optimizing raw material properties is crucial for improving the efficiency of oil extraction processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate microwave pretreatment as a strategy to modify peanut source material and enhance POBE destabilization.
• To elucidate the mechanisms behind microwave-induced changes in POBE properties and their impact on extraction efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Application of microwave pretreatment at varying power levels (0-900 W).
• Analysis of POBE interfacial properties (viscosity, ζ-potential, particle size, microstructure).
• Compositional analysis of POBE and interfacial protein conformational changes.

Main Results:

• Higher microwave power (≥540 W) significantly destabilized POBE.
• Optimal treatment at 720 W increased POBE extraction yield (16.82%) and demulsification rate (46.32%).
• Microwave treatment altered POBE composition, reduced interfacial protein strength, and induced droplet aggregation.

Conclusions:

• Microwave pretreatment effectively destabilizes POBE by modifying interfacial properties and protein structure.
• This study provides a theoretical foundation for using microwave technology to improve peanut oil extraction efficiency.