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Description
Oat protein is a widely used protein source for food and cosmetic applications. In food, oat is recognized for its high content of soluble fibres, notably β-glucan. Interfaces play an important role in both food and cosmetics, and oat proteins are known for their ability to stabilize air/water and oil/water interfaces. Emulsion and interfacial behaviour can be described by oil droplet size and zeta potential, as well as by interfacial tension and interfacial rheological behaviour. In addition, the interfacial structure in emulsions can be analysed using small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering.
In this study, we investigate oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by oat protein from a sustainable by-product of oat drink production: oat okara, which is rich in soluble fibres and protein. Emulsions are characterized by oil droplet size distributions using static light scattering. Interfacial properties are investigated using drop tensiometry (interfacial tension) and dilatational interfacial rheology (interfacial viscoelasticity). The interfacial layer structure, including interfacial layer thickness, is further examined using small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering.
The results show that the oat protein is strongly aggregated. However, the interfacial and emulsion properties are comparable to other plant-protein-stabilized systems. Therefore, oat okara is a promising raw material for sustainable emulsion-based food applications.