Utilisation of pectin coating to enhance spray-dry stability of pea protein-stabilised oil-in-water emulsions

In this study, development of pea (Pisum sativum) protein stabilised dry and reconstituted emulsions is presented. Dry emulsions were prepared by spray-drying liquid emulsions in a laboratory spray-dryer. The effect of drying on the physical stability of oil-in-water emulsions containing pea protein-coated and pea protein/pectin-coated oil droplets has been studied. Oil-in-water emulsions (5 wt.% Miglyol 812 N, 0.25 wt.% pea protein, 11% maltodextrin, pH 2.4) were prepared that contained 0 (primary emulsion) or 0.2 wt.% pectin (secondary emulsion). The emulsions were then subjected to spray-drying and reconstitution (pH 2.4). The stability of the emulsions to dry processing was then analysed using oil droplet size, microstructure, Zeta potential, and creaming measurements. Obtained results showed that the secondary emulsions had better stability to droplet aggregation after drying than primary emulsions. To interpret these results, we propound that pectin, an anionic polysaccharide, formed a less charged protective layer around the protein interfacial film surrounding the oil droplets that improved their stability to spray-drying mainly by increasing steric effects.