Oppositely Charged Pickering Emulsion Co-Stabilized by Chitin Nanoparticles and Fucoidan: Influence of Environmental Stresses on Stability and Antioxidant Activity

Abstract

Single emulsifiers exhibit varying degrees of restriction in stabilizing emulsions. Op-positely charged chitin nanoparticles and fucoidan complex particles were used as emulsifiers to stabilize a o/w Pickering emulsion and explore its stability and antioxidant activity under different environmental stresses. The results showed that the emulsion with the smallest mean particle size (1.02 µm) and strongest zeta potential (−29.3 mV) was formed at pH 7. Moreover, at this pH, it presented the highest physical stability and antioxidant activity and the lowest emulsion creaming index. The investigation of the effect of temperature on the stability and antioxidant activity of the emulsion revealed that, after freezing/thawing at −20 °C, the emulsion was unstable, the particle size increased, and the stability and antioxidant activity were low. In contrast, the emulsions treated at 25, 37, and 60 °C displayed no significant differences and exhibited high stabilities and antioxidant activities. Additionally, increasing the salt ion concentration further decreased the emulsion stability and antioxidant activity. Particularly, the emulsion with a salt concentration of 500 mM displayed the lowest stability, and stratification occurred after 30 d of storage. The Pickering emulsion remained stable under different environmental stresses expect for at a temperature of −20 °C and 500 mM salt ion concentration.