Oxidation of water emulsified olive oils

The susceptibility to oxidation of water emulsified olive oils was monitored by preparing emulsions with different amounts of water. The oxidative and kinetic stability of the emulsions were studied by performing simultaneous measurements of sedimentation and oxidation. The results reveal that the greater the region of emulsion stability, the longer the resistance of oil to oxidation. The micrographs of Video-Enhanced Microscopy show an increase of specific surface area of the water dispersed as a consequence of the oxidation process. This phenomenon was attributed to the amphiphilic nature of hydroperoxide molecules which prevents the droplet from coalescing with other droplets, so breaking the emulsion.