Novel Pickering emulsions using polysaccharide-myosin complexes: Effect of polysaccharide types

The interaction between proteins and polysaccharides can enhance emulsion stability, with different polysaccharides exerting varying effects on protein emulsification. This study examined the effects of a cationic polysaccharide (chitosan, CS) and anionic polysaccharides (κ-carrageenan, κ-C; ι-carrageenan, ι-C; and λ-carrageenan, λ-C) on the stability of myosin Pickering emulsions (PEs). Adding these polysaccharides increased myosin composite particles' particle size and potential. The particle size of myosin-polysaccharide complexes with κ-C was 1, 574 nm, while the complex with CS was 2, 043 nm, larger than those formed with the others. The addition of polysaccharides also made myosin more hydrophilic. Molecular dynamics simulations and experimental results showed that stable complexes were formed between polysaccharides and myosin through hydrogen bonds, van der Waals forces, electrostatic interactions, and hydrophobic interactions. The particle size distribution of myosin-polysaccharide PEs displayed a unimodal distribution. The myosin-κ-C PE was smaller than the others, whereas the myosin-CS PE was larger due to emulsion droplet aggregation. The four polysaccharides stabilized the myosin PEs through electrostatic interactions, with the stability ranking as follows: κ-C > ι-C > λ-C > CS. These findings demonstrate that polysaccharides can improve the stability of myosin emulsions and help develop proteoglycan polymer-stabilized emulsions.