Sustaining the Oxidative and Physical Stability of Emulsions through Regeneration of Interfacial Antioxidants using a Spatially Coordinated Recycling System

Objective

Emulsion-based food and bio-based products are prone to oxidative and physical degradation, leading to waste generation due to the product's reduced shelf life, increased toxicity, and deteriorated sensory properties. Resolving these issues via conventional emulsifiers and antioxidants is becoming less viable due to evolving rules and consumer demand for healthier products. Recent research has offered protein-polyphenol assemblies (PPAs) as possible alternatives to the conventional additives, as they may contribute to simultaneous oxidative and physical stabilization of emulsions by localizing at the oil-water interface. However, PPAs are still limited to a specific functionality time, and prolonging this period in low PPA doses is still a challenge. The SUPRAOX project aims to design a novel spatially coordinated antioxidant recycling system in oil-in-water emulsions by localizing a secondary antioxidant in the lipid/water phase to regenerate the consumed PPAs positioned at the interface. By sustaining the antioxidant activity of PPAs, the system directly inhibits the instability of emulsions, thereby reducing waste generation at its source, which is the EU's highest waste management priority. The project will use underexplored polyphenols and proteins to create PPAs and, for the first time, employ a microfluidic device to precisely locate them at the interface and secondary antioxidants in the oil/water phase. Kinetic modeling will be utilized to predict regeneration efficiency, which is an unresolved aspect of lipid oxidation control. Prof. Schroën, the primary supervisor at Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands (host), and Dr. Berton-Carabin, the supervisor at INRAE, France (secondment institution), have a strong background in emulsion interfacial composition and lipid oxidation. Their expertise, combined with access to advanced laboratory equipment and training opportunities, will significantly contribute to the career development of the researcher.