CHAPTER 5: Controlled Protein-based Aggregates as Interfacial Stabilizers: Fabrication, Mechanism and Potential Application as Food Ingredients

Proteins play an important role as macromolecular interfacial stabilizers in foam- and emulsion-type food products. In recent years, food protein-based colloidal particles with distinct morphologies have increasingly been considered as effective Pickering interfacial stabilizers. This chapter summarizes recent research progress in developing hydrocolloidal particles by controlling protein aggregation to stabilize Pickering emulsions and foams. The formation processes, mechanisms and physicochemical conditions of fibrillar and globular protein aggregates are overviewed and also their interfacial properties in relation to their morphology. Their ability to produce novel emulsion-based food systems with enhanced sensory properties and the particle aspects of digestion of Pickering emulsions are also discussed. Promising research trends in protein aggregate-stabilized Pickering emulsions are (1) to develop versatile protein particle-populated interfacial structure, (2) to understand their digestion profile through human digestion systems and (3) to expand their applications in controlled release and target delivery of bioactive compounds.