The Effect of Alginate and κ-Carrageenan on the Stability of Pickering Emulsions Stabilized by Shellac-Based Nanoparticles

We developed highly stable shellac-based emulsions that incorporated alginate (Al) and κ-carrageenan (Kcar), two anionic polysaccharides capable of undergoing in situ crosslinking for various applications. The stability, droplet size distribution, and microstructure of these emulsions were assessed....

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Main Authors: Keren Delmar, Reaam Kablan, Gabriela Amiram, Carmit Shani Levi, Uri Lesmes, Havazelet Bianco-Peled
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Polysaccharides
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4176/6/2/35
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author Keren Delmar
Reaam Kablan
Gabriela Amiram
Carmit Shani Levi
Uri Lesmes
Havazelet Bianco-Peled
author_facet Keren Delmar
Reaam Kablan
Gabriela Amiram
Carmit Shani Levi
Uri Lesmes
Havazelet Bianco-Peled
author_sort Keren Delmar
collection DOAJ
description We developed highly stable shellac-based emulsions that incorporated alginate (Al) and κ-carrageenan (Kcar), two anionic polysaccharides capable of undergoing in situ crosslinking for various applications. The stability, droplet size distribution, and microstructure of these emulsions were assessed. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed nanoparticle accumulation at the oil–water interface, which enhanced stability. By leveraging the crosslinking potential of the polysaccharides, we created Pickering emulsion hydrogels (PEH) loaded with curcumin, a model food supplement with poor water solubility, and evaluated their release profiles in an in vitro gastrointestinal model. The results demonstrated two distinct release behaviors: full release in the small intestine and targeted release in the large intestine. Further study revealed fundamental differences in how Al and Kcar influence creaming, which led to a deeper investigation into the mechanisms behind these differences. Rheology measurements showed that a more complex mechanism governs the system’s viscosity. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and further viscosity measurements revealed that hydrogen bonding in the Kcar emulsions formed unique structures, which provided superior resistance to creaming. This study highlights the potential of tailoring emulsion hydrogels for specific applications in food and drug delivery systems and offers new insights into the structural dynamics of biopolymer-stabilized emulsions.
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series Polysaccharides
spelling doaj-art-8627ff8bc2fd4875b41aae9cedc3c21d2025-08-20T03:16:36ZengMDPI AGPolysaccharides2673-41762025-04-01623510.3390/polysaccharides6020035The Effect of Alginate and κ-Carrageenan on the Stability of Pickering Emulsions Stabilized by Shellac-Based NanoparticlesKeren Delmar0Reaam Kablan1Gabriela Amiram2Carmit Shani Levi3Uri Lesmes4Havazelet Bianco-Peled5Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, IsraelDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, IsraelDepartment of Biotechnology & Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, IsraelDepartment of Biotechnology & Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, IsraelDepartment of Biotechnology & Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, IsraelDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, IsraelWe developed highly stable shellac-based emulsions that incorporated alginate (Al) and κ-carrageenan (Kcar), two anionic polysaccharides capable of undergoing in situ crosslinking for various applications. The stability, droplet size distribution, and microstructure of these emulsions were assessed. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed nanoparticle accumulation at the oil–water interface, which enhanced stability. By leveraging the crosslinking potential of the polysaccharides, we created Pickering emulsion hydrogels (PEH) loaded with curcumin, a model food supplement with poor water solubility, and evaluated their release profiles in an in vitro gastrointestinal model. The results demonstrated two distinct release behaviors: full release in the small intestine and targeted release in the large intestine. Further study revealed fundamental differences in how Al and Kcar influence creaming, which led to a deeper investigation into the mechanisms behind these differences. Rheology measurements showed that a more complex mechanism governs the system’s viscosity. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and further viscosity measurements revealed that hydrogen bonding in the Kcar emulsions formed unique structures, which provided superior resistance to creaming. This study highlights the potential of tailoring emulsion hydrogels for specific applications in food and drug delivery systems and offers new insights into the structural dynamics of biopolymer-stabilized emulsions.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4176/6/2/35Pickering emulsionnanoparticlesshellacrheologyalginateκ-carrageenan
spellingShingle Keren Delmar
Reaam Kablan
Gabriela Amiram
Carmit Shani Levi
Uri Lesmes
Havazelet Bianco-Peled
The Effect of Alginate and κ-Carrageenan on the Stability of Pickering Emulsions Stabilized by Shellac-Based Nanoparticles
Polysaccharides
Pickering emulsion
nanoparticles
shellac
rheology
alginate
κ-carrageenan
title The Effect of Alginate and κ-Carrageenan on the Stability of Pickering Emulsions Stabilized by Shellac-Based Nanoparticles
title_full The Effect of Alginate and κ-Carrageenan on the Stability of Pickering Emulsions Stabilized by Shellac-Based Nanoparticles
title_fullStr The Effect of Alginate and κ-Carrageenan on the Stability of Pickering Emulsions Stabilized by Shellac-Based Nanoparticles
title_full_unstemmed The Effect of Alginate and κ-Carrageenan on the Stability of Pickering Emulsions Stabilized by Shellac-Based Nanoparticles
title_short The Effect of Alginate and κ-Carrageenan on the Stability of Pickering Emulsions Stabilized by Shellac-Based Nanoparticles
title_sort effect of alginate and κ carrageenan on the stability of pickering emulsions stabilized by shellac based nanoparticles
topic Pickering emulsion
nanoparticles
shellac
rheology
alginate
κ-carrageenan
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4176/6/2/35
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