Effect of salt content on the rheological properties of salad dressing-type emulsions stabilized by emulsifier blends

The effects that salt content and composition of emulsifier blends exert on the rheological properties of salad dressing-type emulsions were studied. Binary blends of egg yolk and different types of amphiphilic molecules (Tween 20, sucrose laurate and pea protein), in several proportions, were used to stabilize emulsions. Salt concentration was ranged from 0 to 2.3% w/w. Steady-state flow tests and small-amplitude oscillatory shear measurements within the linear viscoelastic region were carried out. Rheological tests were complemented with droplet size distribution measurements. Rheological properties and physical stability of the emulsions studied were significantly influenced by salt content and the nature of binary emulsifier blends. In general, the values of rheological parameters studied increased with salt content. However, salt affects in much higher extent the properties of emulsions stabilized by high proportions of egg yolk or pea protein in the emulsifier blend, rather than those mainly stabilized by non-ionic low-molecular-weight surfactants, which are less sensitive to changes in the ionic strength. In this sense, the increase observed in the values of viscosity and linear viscoelastic functions of emulsions is more important when a protein is predominant in the emulsifier blend. This effect was explained on the basis of a more apparent increasing interdroplet interactions and viscosity of the continuous medium, both of them induced by salt addition, which lead to the consecution of an extensively flocculated state and improved creaming stability. On the contrary, different blends of pea protein and egg yolk showed a quite similar evolution of the rheological parameters with salt concentration.