Increased stability of curcumin-loaded pickering emulsions based on glycated proteins and chitooligosaccharides for functional food application

The utilization of natural emulsifiers to form and stabilize emulsions has been widely explored. This study aimed to increase the stability of curcumin-loaded Pickering emulsions based on glycated proteins and chitooligosaccharides (COS). First, the Maillard reaction involving lactose improved the solubility of a whey protein isolate (WPI) and increase its surface charge. Glycated whey protein isolate (gWPI)–chitooligosaccharide nanoparticles were then assembled through electrostatic interactions. Size-controlled nanoparticles were selected by evaluating the effects of their mass concentration, mass ratio, and pH. Results revealed that the viscoelasticity and stability of the emulsions stabilized with gWPI–COS were higher in the curcumin delivery system than in the emulsions formed individually by WPI, gWPI, or WPI–COS. This study served as a reference for the practical application of Pickering emulsions formed using glycated proteins and COS in functional foods.