Emulsion Stability and Functional Properties of Microalgae Proteins
Summary
Microalgae proteins have attracted considerable attention as sustainable, plant-derived alternatives to conventional animal and synthetic emulsifiers. Their unique amino acid composition and molecular structures confer strong surface activity, enabling adsorption at oil–water interfaces, rapid reduction of interfacial tension and formation of viscoelastic interfacial layers. Key determinants of emulsion stability include protein concentration, degree of purification, pH relative to the isoelectric point, ionic strength and oil polarity. Minimally processed extracts may offer resource-efficient routes to stabilise simple emulsions, whereas purified isolates deliver enhanced droplet size control and long-term stability. The balance between functional performance and yield underpins the economic viability of microalgae biorefinery concepts. Practical applications span food formulations such as dressings and beverages, as well as cosmetics and pharmaceutical emulsions, where microalgae proteins can replace animal-derived surfactants or synthetic stabilisers. Advances in extraction, fractionation and cell-disruption technologies further bolster their techno-functional potential, paving the way for wide-scale adoption and contribution to a circular bioeconomy.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Emulsion Stability and Functional Properties of Microalgae Proteins publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in emulsion stability and functional properties of microalgae proteins across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Emulsion: A dispersion of oil droplets in an aqueous phase (oil-in-water) or vice versa, stabilised by surface-active agents.
Interfacial tension: The energy per unit area at the boundary between oil and water, reduced by adsorbing proteins.
Isoelectric point (pI): The pH at which a protein carries no net electrical charge, affecting solubility and interfacial behaviour.
Viscoelastic interfacial layer: A protein film at the oil–water interface exhibiting both viscous and elastic characteristics, crucial for droplet stability.
Adsorption kinetics: The rate at which protein molecules migrate to and attach at the interface, influencing emulsion formation.
References
- Proteins from microalgae for the stabilization of fluid interfaces, emulsions, and foams. Trends in Food Science & Technology (2021).
- Effect of Arthrospira platensis microalgae protein purification on emulsification mechanism and efficiency. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science (2020).
- Arthrospira platensis protein isolate for stabilization of fluid interfaces: Effect of physicochemical conditions and comparison to animal-based proteins. Food Hydrocolloids (2023).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.