Effects of protein composition and enzymatic activity on formation and properties of potato protein stabilized emulsions

In the present study emulsions were made with various potato protein preparations, which varied in protease inhibitor and patatin content. These emulsions were characterized with respect to average droplet size, plateau surface excess, and the occurrence of droplet aggregation. Droplet aggregation occurred only with potato protein preparations that contained a substantial amount of protease inhibitors and could be prevented only at pH 3. The average droplet size of the emulsions made with potato proteins appeared to be related to the patatin content of the preparation used. Average droplet size was found to be dominated by the patatin-catalyzed lipolytic release of surface active fatty acids and monoglycerides from the tricaprylin oil phase during the emulsification process. Addition of monoglycerides and especially fatty acids, at concentrations representative of those during emulsification, was shown to cause a stronger and much faster decrease of the interfacial tension than that with protein alone and to result in a drastic decrease in droplet size. The patatin used was shown to have a lipolytic activity of 820 units/g with emulsified tricaprylin as the substrate. Because of the droplet aggregating properties of the protease inhibitors, the patatin-rich potato preparations seem to be the most promising for food emulsion applications over a broad pH range, provided the lipolytic activity can be diminished or circumvented.