Interfacial Behavior and Foam Stability in Food Systems
Summary
Foams in food systems arise when gas is dispersed as bubbles within a liquid or semi‐solid matrix. The stability of these structures hinges on the formation of robust interfacial layers around bubbles that slow drainage, resist coalescence and retard disproportionation. Proteins, polysaccharides and colloidal particles adsorb at the air–water interface to form films whose mechanical strength depends on adsorption kinetics, surface rheology and intermolecular interactions. Key parameters such as pH, ionic strength and temperature govern protein conformation, charge and hydrophobicity, which in turn affect interfacial dilational elasticity and surface viscosity. Particle‐based (Pickering) stabilisation offers complementary mechanisms, in which insoluble microgels or protein aggregates anchor at interfaces to provide steric barriers. Foam decay is driven by liquid drainage under gravity, coalescence via film rupture and Ostwald ripening of bubbles; each process can be mitigated by tuning the viscoelastic properties of the interfacial network, or by combining biopolymers and particles to generate mixed stabiliser systems. Advances in interfacial rheometry, atomic force microscopy and thin film pressure balances have elucidated links between molecular structure and macroscopic foam persistence. Understanding and harnessing these mechanisms underpin the development of aerated foods with tailored texture, shelf life and nutritional profiles, as well as novel drying technologies for foam‐based ingredients.
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Interfacial Behavior and Foam Stability in Food Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in interfacial behavior and foam stability in food systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Interfacial tension: The force per unit length opposing surface area expansion at the gas–liquid boundary, governing bubble formation energy.
Surface rheology: The study of deformation and flow behaviour of adsorbed interfacial layers, characterised by dilational and shear moduli.
Disjoining pressure: The net pressure within a thin liquid film arising from van der Waals and electrostatic forces, dictating film stability.
Overrun: The percentage increase in volume of a foam relative to its initial liquid volume, indicating air incorporation efficiency.
Pickering stabiliser: Solid particles that adsorb irreversibly at interfaces to form a mechanical barrier against bubble coalescence and disproportionation.
References
- White asparagus stem proteins, from waste to interface stabilizer in food foams. Food Hydrocolloids (2024).
- Whey protein microgels for stabilisation of foams. International Dairy Journal (2022).
- Hydrophobicity Enhances the Formation of Protein-Stabilized Foams. Molecules (2022).
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