Small-deformation rheology of mesquite gum stabilized oil in water emulsions

The influence of the nature of the oil phase on the viscoelastic properties of emulsions stabilized with mesquite gum has been investigated. Mesquite gum-stabilized emulsions of d-limonene, n-decane, n-dodecane, n-tetradecane n-hexadecane and orange oil were analyzed, the observations showed that the nature of the oil used was determinant for the viscoelastic and gel formation ability of the emulsions. Orange oil-in-water emulsions stabilized with mesquite gum developed a gel-like structure with time, in contrast to the emulsions obtained with alkane oils and with d-limonene. This is rationalized in terms of a weak gel network of protein-polysaccharides molecules interconnecting spherical oil droplets. The gelling behavior of these systems has been described with a model derived from percolation theory.