Physical and oxidative stability of emulsions treated with bitter almond gum–soy protein isolate Maillard conjugates

The conjugation with carbohydrates potentially improves the functional properties of proteins. This study aimed to investigate the physical and oxidative stability of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by bitter almond gum-soy protein isolate (BAG-SPI) conjugates (1:1, 1:3, 3:1). The dry-heated Maillard conjugation significantly improved water holding capacity and solubility of SPI proportion with BAG ratio in the conjugate (p < 0.05). The conjugation with BAG changed the particle size and zeta potential of SPI remarkably. This process changed the rheological behavior of SPI from Newtonian toward shear-thinning, except for BAG-SPI (1:3) conjugate, which behaved like SPI. The emulsion prepared with BAG-SPI (3:1) conjugate exhibited the highest physical stability due to its potential to produce smaller oil droplets and higher viscosity. However, the conjugation process declined oxidative stability. Therefore, a combination of SPI and glycated SPI with a higher BAG ratio may be suitable for stabilizing the emulsions for a long time.