CHAPTER 10: Particle-Stabilized Food Emulsions

Over the last few decades, the way food is consumed has dramatically changed; these modifications in people’s food habits have not only resulted in a higher demand for ready meals and snacks, for example, but also in an increase in obesity in Western countries. As many modern foods are emulsion-based products, food scientists have been challenged to develop new colloidal systems that can be commercialized as both healthy and tasty products. The (re)discovery of solid-stabilized emulsions in the 1980s has opened up a new field for food product development. This chapter aims to discuss the recent advances in terms of both food-grade solid particle formation and structuring of emulsions using particles suitable for use in food. Lipid particles are predominant in the stabilization of food water-in-oil emulsions, while major progress has been made regarding the use of polysaccharide (starch or cellulose) particles as oil-in-water emulsion stabilizers. Considerations regarding potential advantages of these emulsions, in terms of release or fat reduction, compared to classic emulsions are also presented.