Pickering emulsions stabilized by moringa seed protein: Regulating the emulsion properties by adjusting the Maillard reaction

Due to its high hydrophobicity and low solubility, the unmodified moringa seed protein (MSP) is not ideal for creating a stable Pickering emulsion. Therefore, preparing MSP nanoparticles with adjustable surface properties and clarifying their surface properties are of immense significance to expand the application of MSP in the emulsion. In this study, MSP was employed as a starting material to prepare moringa seed protein-chitosan nanoparticles (MSP-CS/NPs) by Maillard reaction. The nanoparticles were then used to stabilize the Pickering emulsion. The structural properties of the copolymers were modulated by controlling the protein-to-polysaccharide ratio. It was found that when the volume ratio of MSP to CS was 4:1, the emulsification performance was the best, and the antioxidant performance of the Pickering emulsion was the strongest. Pickering emulsion showed good antibacterial properties when loaded with Mupirocin. Overall, this work demonstrates the potential application of the Moringa seed protein-chitosan complex in stabilizing Pickering emulsions and provides a theoretical foundation for the development of functional Pickering emulsions.