Emulsion Stabilization Using Plant-Derived Polysaccharides
Summary
Plant-derived polysaccharides have emerged as versatile and sustainable agents for stabilising emulsions in sectors ranging from food and cosmetics to pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. These biopolymers—sourced from wood hemicelluloses such as galactoglucomannans and glucuronoxylans, fungal extracts like Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides, and cereal by-products—employ multiple mechanisms to prevent droplet coalescence and creaming. At the oil–water interface, surface-active moieties adsorb and reduce interfacial tension, while particulate assemblies can effect Pickering stabilisation by forming a rigid barrier around droplets. Concurrently, the continuous phase’s viscosity is increased, impeding droplet mobility and enhancing kinetic stability. Advances in extraction and fractionation methods, including pressurised hot water extraction and centrifugal separation, have enabled the recovery of functional lignin–carbohydrate complexes and nano-sized hydrocolloids. By tailoring molecular weight, acetylation degree and protein associations, researchers can fine-tune interfacial activity, rheological profiles and environmental resilience. Such developments not only align with circular-economy goals by valorising forestry and agricultural side streams but also deliver bio-based emulsifiers that meet stringent safety, performance and sustainability criteria on a global scale.
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Emulsion Stabilization Using Plant-Derived Polysaccharides publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in emulsion stabilization using plant-derived polysaccharides across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Polysaccharide: A polymer composed of long chains of monosaccharide units, often exhibiting emulsifying or thickening properties.
Emulsion: A colloidal dispersion of immiscible liquids in which one phase is finely distributed as droplets within a continuous phase.
Pickering stabilisation: Emulsion stabilisation achieved by solid particles adsorbing at the interface to form a mechanical barrier against droplet coalescence.
Hydrocolloid: A water-soluble polymer that increases the viscosity of the continuous phase and can contribute to emulsion stability.
References
- Tremella fuciform Polysaccharides: Extraction, Physicochemical, and Emulsion Properties at Different pHs. Polymers (2023).
- Strategies for structuring diverse emulsion systems by using wood lignocellulose-derived stabilizers. Green Chemistry (2020).
- Determination of physical emulsion stabilization mechanisms of wood hemicelluloses via rheological and interfacial characterization. Soft Matter (2016).
- Lignin-Rich PHWE Hemicellulose Extracts Responsible for Extended Emulsion Stabilization. Frontiers in Chemistry (2019).
- Centrifugal fractionation of softwood extracts improves the biorefinery workflow and yields functional emulsifiers. Green Chemistry (2019).
- Valorization of Native Soluble and Insoluble Oat Side Streams for Stable Suspensions and Emulsions. Food and Bioprocess Technology (2021).
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