Co-surfactant free microemulsions: Preparation, characterization and stability evaluation for food application

The aim of the study is to prepare co-surfactant free microalgal oil microemulsions and investigate their properties as well as processing stability for food application. The physicochemical characteristics of the microemulsions were investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), turbidity, conductivity, rheological measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Within the microemulsion region, when the surfactant to oil ratio was 9:1, the hydrodynamic diameter (Dh) was 18 nm; when the surfactant to oil ratio was 7.5:1, the hydrodynamic diameter (Dh) was 50 nm. Rheological studies proved that the microemulsion system was a pseudoplastic fluid, which followed a shear thinning flow behavior. The loss rate of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was less than 5%wt after ultra high temperature (UHT) and high temperature short time (HTST) thermal treatments. A high content of CaCl2 (10.0%wt) could not destroy the microemulsion system, and it could be stored at 4 °C for two years.