Physicochemical stability of Pickering emulsion stabilised by green tea polysaccharide conjugates‐soy protein isolate complex and its delivery of curcumin

Summary Tea processing often generates significant waste, resulting in resource inefficiency. However, extracting green tea polysaccharide conjugate (gTPC) from this waste has shown promising bioactivity. Previous studies have confirmed the emulsifying properties of gTPC. Yet, its use as an emulsifier is limited due to its requirement for high surface activity. The findings revealed that a 0.40 wt% soy protein isolate (SPI) and 0.50 wt% gTPC conjugate required 300 °C for complete decomposition, demonstrating the highest stability among other ratios. The Pickering emulsion, using a 0.30 wt% emulsifier ratio, exhibited exceptional stability. Moreover, it showed remarkable zeta potential and particle size stability under stressful conditions (temperature, pH and metal ions). Additionally, it effectively protected curcumin from adverse pH, light and temperature effects, with a retention rate of over 74.00%. These results highlight the gTPC/SPI combination as an effective stabiliser, offering new prospects for gTPC development and utilisation.