Stabilization of ginger essential oil Pickering emulsions by pineapple cellulose nanocrystals

Arissara Phosanam; Juan Moreira; Benu Adhikari; Achyut Adhikari; Jack N Losso

doi:10.1016/j.crfs.2023.100575

Stabilization of ginger essential oil Pickering emulsions by pineapple cellulose nanocrystals

Curr Res Food Sci. 2023 Aug 25:7:100575. doi: 10.1016/j.crfs.2023.100575. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Arissara Phosanam^{1

2}, Juan Moreira², Benu Adhikari³, Achyut Adhikari², Jack N Losso¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, Faculty of Natural Resources and Agro-Industry, Kasetsart University, Chalermphrakiat Sakon Nakhon Province Campus, Sakon Nakhon, 47000, Thailand.
² School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, United States.
³ School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, City Campus, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia.

Abstract

Pickering emulsions (PE) are systems made up of two incompatible fluids, these are stabilized by solid organic or inorganic particles located on their interface. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are sustainable and biocompatible value-added naturally occurring biomolecules which are being investigated as PE stabilizers in the cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical industries. The objective of this research was to investigate the efficacy of pineapple cellulose nanocrystals as stabilizers for a ginger essential oil-in-water Pickering emulsion. Anionic pineapple cellulose nanocrystals were prepared by acid hydrolysis. Ginger essential oil-in-water emulsions were prepared by ultrasonication. Pineapple CNC produced stable Pickering emulsions with surface average droplet size of 4.3 μm-6.2 μm, high negative zeta potential, high viscosity, and high adsorption at the interface. Pickering emulsions by ultrasonication were stable against droplet coalescence, phase separation, and droplet flocculation for at least 8 weeks at 25 °C or 40 °C at various droplet sizes. The emulsion droplet size and volume density (droplet size distribution) were evaluated by varying the particle concentration (CNC 0.25 g/100 ml or 0.50 g/100 ml) and/or oil fraction (10-20 g/100 ml). At constant oil fraction, the emulsion viscosity increased as the nanocrystal concentration increased. The cellulose nanocrystal-stabilized ginger oil-Pickering emulsions exhibited shear-thinning characteristics of a pseudo-plastic fluid. Pineapple nanocellulose crystal -stabilized ginger oil-Pickering emulsions exhibited high stability with a creaming index of zero. CNC was found to be an effective Pickering stabilizer for oil-in-water emulsions in various food applications.

Keywords: Cellulose nanocrystals; Ginger essential oil; Pickering emulsion; Pineapple peel; emulsion stability.