Some implications of nanoscience in food dispersion formulations containing phospholipids as emulsifiers

This contribution is concerned with phospholipid films in relation to food dispersions such as emulsions and foams. Structural, morphological and surface rheological characteristics of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) monolayers were determined at the air–water interface at 20 °C and at pH 5, 7, and 9, by means of surface pressure (π)–area (A) isotherms coupled with Brewster angle microscopy (BAM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and surface dilatational and shear rheometry. From the π–A isotherms it was deduced that DPPC monolayers show structural polymorphism at the air–water interface. DOPC monolayers formed a liquid-expanded (LE) structure under all experimental conditions, a consequence of the weak molecular interactions due to the double bond in the hydrocarbon chain. Electrostatic interactions between film-forming components influence the monolayer structure. BAM and AFM images corroborate, at a microscopic and at nanoscopic level respectively, the structural polymorphism deduced from the π–A isotherm for DPPC monolayers as a function of surface pressure and the pH of the aqueous phase. However, the homogeneous morphology of DOPC monolayers at a microscopic level, as observed by BAM, shows structural heterogeneity at a nanoscopic level when observed by AFM. The relative monolayer thickness increases with surface pressure and is a maximum at the collapse point, especially for DPPC monolayers. The results confirm that the interfacial rheological characteristic measured under dilatation and shear conditions are very dependent on the structural characteristics and morphology of the phospholipids (DPPC and DOPC) monolayers.