Formulation and characterization of esterified xylo-oligosaccharides-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions using microchannel emulsification.

A series of amphiphilically esterified xylo-oligosaccharides (xylo esters) with different fatty acids residues - decanoic acid (C-10), lauric acid (C-12) and palmitic acid (C-16) - were enzymatically modified at 60°C for 4h. These xylo esters were used as emulsifiers to formulate oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions by microchannel emulsification (MCE). Grooved and straight-through MCE was used to investigate the droplet generation and/or emulsion stability. Xylo ester-stabilized oil droplets were generated smoothly from microchannels arranged linearly or two dimensionally, while xylo ester-stabilized emulsions were less monodispersed owing to low surface activity of the xylo esters. The combined use of xylo esters (2.5% (w/w)) and Tween series (0.1% (w/w)) in the continuous phase can improve the monodispersity of the resultant oil. Successful droplet generation was achieved with the straight-through MCE using 2.5% (w/w) xylo laurate and 0.1% (w/w) Tween 20. The optimized combination of xylo laurate and Tween 20 inhibited coalescence and oiling off more efficiently than the droplets solely stabilized by Tween 20 during 30days of storage.