Structure-function relationships of potato protein-gum arabic-β-cyclodextrin ternary complexes for emulsion stability and suppression of volatile release from Chinese giant salamander oil.

Abstract

This study investigated how three-component co-assembly of potato protein (PP), gum arabic (GA), and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) affects complex organization and the performance of Chinese giant salamander oil (CGSO) emulsions. pH regulated PP charge, solubility, and aggregation, with pH 8 providing favorable conditions for PP-GA organization. At this pH, addition of 0.75% (w/v) β-CD altered the molecular environment and colloidal organization of the ternary system, while maintaining favorable emulsifying properties and enhancing thermal stability. Comparisons with controls showed that these effects could not be fully explained by β-CD presence or nonspecific carbohydrate addition. Electronic-nose analysis provided a descriptive characterization of formulation-dependent headspace sensor-response fingerprints, whereas HS-SPME-GC-MS showed lower relative headspace abundances of several aldehydes in the ternary emulsion. These findings link ternary co-assembly with emulsion functionality, while the lower headspace abundance of volatiles may reflect combined effects of lipid oxidation status, volatile partitioning and retention, and possible β-CD-volatile interactions.