Shorter Chitin Nanofibrils Enhance Pickering Emulsion Stability: Role of Length and Interfacial Network.

Qiyue Yang, Congying Chen, Xiaoyi Luo, Ruoxin Li, Zhenjun Zhu, Yehui Zhang, Xinglong Xiao, Wenjuan Jiao

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Article in Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

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8 authors.

Qiyue YangSchool of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.

Congying ChenSchool of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.

Xiaoyi LuoKey Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Sericulture & Agri-Food Research Institute Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510610, China.

Ruoxin LiKey Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Sericulture & Agri-Food Research Institute Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510610, China.

Zhenjun ZhuDepartment of Food Science and Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.ORCID 0000-0003-0807-4525

Yehui ZhangKey Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Sericulture & Agri-Food Research Institute Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510610, China.

Xinglong XiaoSchool of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.

Wenjuan JiaoKey Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Sericulture & Agri-Food Research Institute Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510610, China.

Funding

Innovative Research Team Construction Project for Modern Agricultural Industry Common Key Technologies of Guangdong Province (Common key technologies of processing and preservation) 2024CXTD16the R&D Projects in Key Areas of Guangdong Province 2023B0202080003the special fund for scientific innovation strategy-construction of high-level academy of agriculture science Nos. R2021YJ-YB3005, R2020QD-041the Youth S&T Talent Support Programme of Guangdong Provincial Association for Science and Technology SKXRC2025481

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The structure-property relationship of chitin nanofibrils (NCh) with tailored lengths (L-, M-, S-NCh) and their efficacy in stabilizing Pickering emulsions were systematically investigated. The nanofibrils, produced via high-pressure homogenization and ultrasonication (20 or 60 min), were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Emulsion stability was predominantly governed by nanofibril length and concentration, with S-NCh (shortest) exhibiting superior performance, as evidenced by its minimal creaming index, smallest droplet size (1.18 μm at 0.5%), and homogeneous microstructure observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). A critical stabilizer concentration of 0.05% was identified, below which instability occurred due to insufficient interfacial coverage. Rheological analysis confirmed shear-thinning behavior and solid-like viscoelasticity at high frequencies. CLSM microstructural observations directly confirmed nanofibril adsorption at the interface and the formation of a continuous network between droplets, elucidating the stabilization mechanism. These findings demonstrate that shorter chitin nanofibrils provide a marked improvement in emulsion stability, offering a superior biomass-derived alternative for the design of stabilizers in food and pharmaceutical applications.

Indexed as

crab shellsemulsion stabilitylength-dependentstructure-activity

Identifiers

PMID41517142

DOI10.3390/foods15010076

PMCPMC12785728

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