Emulsion properties of algae soluble protein isolate from Tetraselmis sp.

To study possible applications of microalgae proteins in foods, a colourless, protein-rich fraction was isolated from Tetraselmis sp. In the present study the emulsion properties of this algae soluble protein isolate (ASPI) were investigated. Droplet size and droplet aggregation of ASPI stabilized oil-in-water emulsions were studied as function of isolate concentration (1.25–10.00 mg/mL), pH (3–7), and ionic strength (NaCl 10–500 mM; CaCl2 0–50 mM). Whey protein isolate (WPI) and gum arabic (GA) were used as reference emulsifiers. The lowest isolate concentrations needed to reach d32 ≤ 1 μm in 30% oil-in-water emulsions were comparable for ASPI (6 mg/mL) and WPI (4 mg/mL). In contrast to WPI stabilized emulsions ASPI stabilized emulsions were stable around pH 5 at low ionic strength (I = 10 mM). Flocculation only occurred around pH 3, the pH with the smallest net droplet ζ-potential. Due to the charge contribution of the anionic polysaccharide fraction present in ASPI its droplet ζ-potential remained negative over the whole pH range investigated. An increase in ionic strength (≥100 mM) led to a broadening of the pH range over which the ASPI stabilized emulsions were unstable. GA emulsions are not prone to droplet aggregation upon changes in pH or ionic strength, but much higher concentrations are needed to produce stable emulsions. Since ASPI allows the formation of stable emulsions in the pH range 5–7 at low protein concentrations, it can offer an efficient natural alternative to existing protein–polysaccharide complexes.