High-performance emulsions via phosphorylated HDL/phosvitin interface engineering: Characterization, stability, and...

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Protein Chemistry
• Emulsion Technology

Background:

• Egg yolk proteins, particularly high-density lipoprotein (HDL), possess valuable functional properties.
• Physical modification is crucial for enhancing protein characteristics for food applications.
• Developing effective delivery systems for bioactive compounds like curcumin is an ongoing research area.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of phosphorylation using sodium tripolyphosphate (STP) on egg yolk HDL properties.
• To evaluate the performance of a composite stabilizer (phosphorylated HDL and phosvitin) in high-internal-phase emulsions (HIPEs).
• To assess the efficacy of these HIPEs in delivering and protecting curcumin.

Main Methods:

• Egg yolk HDL was phosphorylated using varying concentrations of STP.
• Structural analysis (e.g., confirming covalent phosphate binding) was performed on phosphorylated HDL (P-HDL).
• High-internal-phase emulsions (HIPEs) were formulated using P-HDL and phosvitin (Pv) as composite stabilizers.

Main Results:

• Phosphorylation significantly improved HDL's functional properties, with 6% STP yielding the highest phosphorus content (7.32 mg/g).
• P-HDL exhibited reduced particle size, protein unfolding, exposed hydrophobic regions, enhanced emulsifying capacity, and improved thermal stability.
• HIPEs formulated with P-HDL and Pv demonstrated superior curcumin delivery (38.10% bioaccessibility vs. 15.40% control) and inhibited lipid oxidation.

Conclusions:

• Phosphorylation is an effective method to enhance the functional properties of egg yolk HDL.
• The P-HDL/Pv composite stabilizer enables the creation of high-performance HIPEs.
• These HIPEs offer a promising strategy for the effective delivery and stabilization of bioactive compounds like curcumin.