Effect of ultra-high-pressure homogenization on structure and on rheological properties of soy protein-stabilized emulsions

An ultra high-pressure homogenizer (20 to 350 MPa) was used to realize fine food emulsions stabilized by soy proteins. The first aim of the work was to understand how dynamic high-pressure processing affects soybean globulin conformation. Then, the effect of homogenizing pressure on the emulsions structure and rheology was investigated. High-pressure homogenization caused denaturation of proteins due to strong mechanical forces and high temperatures encountered in the valve. Droplet sizes of emulsions were greatly reduced with high-pressure homogenization and Newtonian liquid emulsions were converted into shear-thinning emulsion gels by homogenization at pressures above 250 MPa. Hydrophobic interactions between proteins were supposed to cause the gel-like network structure of emulsions.