ISBN 978-3-8439-2629-4

978-3-8439-2629-4, Reihe Verfahrenstechnik

Ulrike S. Schmidt
Citrus pectin as a hydrocolloid emulsifier: Emulsifying and emulsion stabilizing properties

141 Seiten, Dissertation Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (2016), Softcover, A5

Zusammenfassung / Abstract

Citrus pectin is a natural biopolymer that is one of the most used gelling and stabilizing agents in the food industry. However, much less is known about its emulsifying properties. In order to investigate these properties, emulsions stabilized by citrus pectin were produced by high pressure homogenization. First, the viscosity enhancing properties of citrus pectin and its effect on the emulsion microstructure were studied. Then, the influence of various functional groups was studied at constant viscosity ratios. While the depolymerization of pectin did not influence the emulsion microstructure, conjugation with whey protein isolate as well as the increase of the degrees of acetylation and of esterification led to a strong reduction in emulsion droplet sizes. Furthermore, the polyelectrolyte properties of citrus pectin were found to be a useful tool to alter the adsorption kinetics, the interfacial elasticity and the stabilization mechanism. As a result, it was possible to tune emulsion microstructures by a targeted choice of citrus pectin and solution conditions.