Effects of comminution on peanut particle size and yield of peanut oil and protein were analyzed. Additionally, the emulsion properties (surface protein concentration, particle size, and ξ-potential) were compared. Moreover, different demulsification methods were used to investigate the emulsion stability. Results showed that the yield of peanut oil and protein was highest (87.23% and 82.05%, respectively) after dry comminution for 72 s. Upon wet comminution for 120 s, the yields of peanut oil and protein were 89.91% and 84.70%, respectively, which were both significantly higher than that obtained after dry comminution (p < 0.05). The surface protein concentration and ξ-potential of emulsion made by dry comminution (DCE) were 7.02 mg/m2 and 12.08 mV, respectively, and those of emulsion made by wet comminution (WCE) were 10.71 mg/m2 and 15.25 mV, respectively, which were significantly higher than that of DCE (p < 0.05). The volume average particle size of DCE was 3.41 µm, which was significantly higher than that of WCE (3.18 µm, p < 0.05). Collectively, these results indicated that WCE was more stable than DCE. Further, the demulsification rate of DCE was significantly higher than that of WCE when treated by freeze-thawing, pH, papain, and phospholipase A2 (p < 0.05). Demulsification effect of Alcalase 2.4L was the best among these five demulsification methods treated, and the demulsification rate of DCE reached 92.77%, which was slightly higher than that of WCE (92.67%), further illustrating the higher stability of WCE.
Keywords: aqueous enzymatic extraction; characteristics of emulsion; demulsification; peanut; pretreatment.