Influence of diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglycerides on the properties of whey powder-maltodextrin emulsion

The aim of this study was to prepare a stable oil-in-water emulsion by whey powder (WP)-maltodextrin (MD) at room temperature for further industrial processing. Due to the weak surface activity of WP and MD, diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglycerides (DATEM) was added to the system as an emulsifier and the effect of DATEM concentration on the properties of WP-MD emulsions was investigated. As the concentration of DATEM increased, the mean droplet size, zeta potential, surface tension, apparent viscosity, and morphology of the emulsions changed significantly. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed that the strength of hydrogen bonding in the emulsions was positively correlated with DATEM concentration, and the interaction between DATEM and the protein caused changes in the secondary structure of the protein, which benefited the stability of the emulsions. Furthermore, the experimental results also indicated that the stable WP-MD emulsion could be formulated above the threshold value of DATEM of 0.125%. Novelty impact statement The purpose of this study was to provide a new idea to solve the problem of cheese whey pollution so that whey powder (WP) and maltodextrin (MD) can be used as wall materials for oil-loaded food emulsions and microcapsules, as well as to combine fundamental research with practical production situations to expand their practical application potential. The addition of diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglycerides (DATEM) can compensate for the weak surface activity of WP and MD and a stable WP-MD emulsion can be effectively formulated above the threshold value of 0.125% DATEM concentration.