High internal phase emulsion stabilized by whey protein isolate-gum Arabic Maillard conjugate: Characterization and application in 3D printing

High internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) stabilized by protein-polysaccharide are attracting considerable attention in the food industry and have been used in the emerging 3D printing. However, research on protein-polysaccharide Maillard conjugates with health-promoting effects used in HIPEs and 3D printing is limited. Developing HIPEs with enhanced stability, printability, and desirable functional properties remains a challenge. This study was aimed to investigate the potential of whey protein isolate-gum Arabic Maillard conjugates (WPI-GA-C) as emulsifiers for stabilizing HIPEs and to prepare HIPEs with improved properties for personalized functional foods and 3D printing. The effects of WPI-GA-C concentration and oil mass fraction on the properties of HIPEs were systematically characterized. The results showed that the WPI-GA-C concentration and oil mass fraction had significant effects on the particle size, processability, and textural, rheological and 3D printing properties of HIPEs. The HIPEs stabilized with 3% WPI-GA-C and 80% oil mass fraction exhibited better self-supporting properties, higher viscosity, higher storage modulus, and lower frequency dependence compared with HIPEs prepared with lower WPI-GA-C concentrations (1% and 2%) and lower oil mass fractions (74% and 77%). The prepared HIPEs could be used as food-grade 3D printing inks to print models with good dimensional printing accuracy. In conclusion, WPI-GA-C could be used to prepare stable HIPEs as potential inks for 3D printing. These results provided new insights into personalized functional food applications with protein-polysaccharide Maillard conjugate stabilized emulsions.