Preparation and characterization of a new food‐grade Pickering emulsion stabilized by mulberry‐leaf protein nanoparticles

Abstract BACKGROUND Food‐grade Pickering particles, particularly plant proteins, have attracted significant interest due to their bio‐based nature, environmental friendliness, and edibility. Mulberry‐leaf protein (MLP) is a high‐quality protein with rich nutritional value and important functional properties. It has special amphoteric and emulsifying characteristics, making it valuable for use in Pickering emulsions. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using MLP nanoparticles as solid particles to stabilize Pickering emulsions. RESULTS The particle size of MLP nanoparticles was less than 300 nm under neutral and alkaline conditions. At pH 9, the zeta potential value reached −34.3 mV, indicating the electrostatic stability of the particles. As ion concentration increased, the particle size of MLP nanoparticles increased, and the zeta potential decreased. Throughout the storage process, no obvious aggregation or precipitation was observed in the dispersion of MLP nanoparticles, indicating strong stability. The particle size of the Pickering emulsion decreased with the increase in protein concentration. When the protein concentration was low, the particles on the oil–water interface became sparse, resulting in poor stability of the prepared emulsion and making it susceptible to aggregation and thus larger particle sizes. Increasing the oil‐phase ratio to 70% (v/v) promotes the formation of Pickering emulsions, which exhibit exceptional stability when MLP nanoparticles are fixed at a concentration of 20 mg mL −1 . CONCLUSION The overall findings indicated that MLP nanoparticles have potential as food‐grade materials for Pickering emulsions, marking a novel application of these nanoparticles in the food industry. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.