SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF LECITHIN AND FLAXSEED MUCILAGE ON THE STABILITY INDICES OF EMULSION SYSTEMS
Abstract
The synergetic stabilizing effect of soy lecithin and flaxseed mucilage within a plant-based emulsion beverage designed for athletes was investigated. The structural and physicochemical mechanisms responsible for enhancing emulsion stability, solubilizing lipophilic bioactive compounds, and improving the functional characteristics of the beverage matrix were elucidated. It was determined that, due to its amphiphilic nature, soy lecithin effectively reduces interfacial tension and promotes the formation of dispersed oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion droplets, ensuring efficient incorporation of lipophilic pigments such as curcumin and ginger essential oils. Calculated parameters, including the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) and the optimal emulsifier-to-oil ratio, confirm the thermodynamic suitability of the system for forming a stable emulsion. It was found that flaxseed mucilage possesses pronounced hydrocolloid properties, forming a viscous polysaccharide matrix that restricts droplet coalescence, sedimentation, and mobility. The study established that the interaction between flaxseed polysaccharides, pea protein isolate, and soy lecithin leads to the formation of multilayer protective coatings around the dispersed lipid droplets, consisting of an inner protein-adsorbing layer, an intermediate hydrocolloid layer, and an outer phospholipid layer. It was clarified that such a multilevel structure significantly increases emulsion resistance to shear stress, temperature fluctuations, and storage-related destabilization processes. Furthermore, the presence of lecithin and flaxseed mucilage improves the uniformity of pigment distribution and enhances the bioavailability of lipophilic bioactive substances. The results highlight the potential of combined protein-polysaccharide-phospholipid stabilization systems for developing structurally stable functional beverages with targeted nutrient delivery. This is particularly relevant for the formulation of specialized drinks for athletes and individuals with high physical activity, where stability, transport of bioactive substances, and texture uniformity are critical quality indicators for emulsion-based beverages.
References
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Ishii, T., Matsumiya, K., Aoshima, M., & Matsumura, Y. (2018). Microgelation imparts emulsifying ability to surface-inactive polysaccharides-bottom-up vs top-down approaches. NPJ science of food, no. 2, Article 15. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-018-0023-7
Jin, Y., & Adhikari, A. (2025). Recent developments and applications of food-based emulsifiers from plant and animal sources. Colloids and Interfaces, no. 9(5), p. 61. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids9050061
Kishk, Y. F. M. (2004). Optimization of flaxseed mucilage extraction and its functional characteristics. Annals of Agriculture Science Moshtohor, no. 42(3), pp. 1177–1197.
Komaiko, J., Sastrosubroto, A., & McClements, D. J. (2016). Encapsulation of ω-3 fatty acids in nanoemulsion-based delivery systems fabricated from natural emulsifiers: Sunflower phospholipids. Food Chemistry, no. 203, pp. 331–339. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.02.080
Liang, L., Chen, F., Wang, X., Jin, Q., Decker, E. A., & McClements, D. J. (2017). Physical and oxidative stability of flaxseed oil-in-water emulsions fabricated from sunflower lecithins: Impact of blending lecithins with different phospholipid profiles. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, no. 65(23), pp. 4755–4765. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.7b01469
Navarrete de Toledo, A. M., Franco Picone, C. S., & Kawazoe Sato, A. C. (2022). Lecithin-sodium caseinate self-assembled complexes as emulsifying agents in oil-in-water emulsion: Acidic medium approach. Current Research in Food Science, no. 5, pp. 958–963.
Puligundla, P., & Lim, S. (2022). A review of extraction techniques and food applications of flaxseed mucilage. Foods, no. 11(12), p. 1677. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11121677
Quintana-Martinez, S., Morales-Cano, A., & García-Zapateiro, L. (2018). Rheological behaviour in the interaction of lecithin and guar gum for oil-in-water emulsions. Czech Journal of Food Sciences, no. 36(1), pp. 73–80.
Yan, J., Yang, Z., Qiao, X., Kong, Z., Dai, L., Wu, J., Xu, X., & McClements, D. J. (2022). Interfacial characteristics and in vitro digestion of emulsion coated by single or mixed natural emulsifiers: Lecithin and/or rice glutelin hydrolysates. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, no. 102(7), pp. 2990–2999. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.11639
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