Cited by 140Proteins in Food SystemsPickering emulsions and particle stabilizationSurfactants and Colloidal Systems

Advances in emulsion stability: A review on mechanisms, role of emulsifiers, and applications in food

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Xiao, Tianlong, Ma, Xiaojie, Hu, Hui, Xiang, Fei, Zhang, Xinyu, Zheng, Yichen, Dong, Hao, Adhikari, Benu +2 more·2025·Food Chemistry: X

Abstract

Emulsions, as thermodynamically unstable systems with multiscale and multiphase structures, naturally destabilize over time. Their stability plays a vital role in industries like food, cosmetics, and chemical materials. For emulsion-based foods, stability is essential to preserve their nutritional value, texture, appearance, and flavor. Enhancing emulsion stability during transportation, storage, and use not only extends shelf life but also boosts market reliability and consumer trust. This review explores emulsion destabilization mechanisms, evaluates the influencing factors, and discusses strategies to assess and enhance stability. The text outlines key emulsion stabilization methods, focusing on recent progress in emulsifier development, including Pickering particles. This review highlights the application of proteins, polysaccharides, polyphenols, and their complexes as emulsifiers in stabilizing food emulsions. It also explores their potential to enhance product performance while addressing consumer demand and sustainability goals. • Explored the mechanism of emulsion destabilization. • Evaluated the factors affecting destabilization. • Discusses the main methods of stabilizing emulsions. • Outlining the application of proteins, polysaccharides, polyphenols and their complex-type emulsifiers. • Potential for stabilizing emulsions to improve the performance of good products.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.fochx.2025.102792

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  • The thickening polymer sodium polyacryloyldimethyl taurate (SPDT) forms a gel network that increases viscosity, binds water or oil within emulsions, and produces a cohesive, structured texture.

    “The thickening polymer, sodium polyacryloyldimethyl taurate (SPDT), forms a gel network that increases viscosity, binds water or oil within emulsions, and produces a cohesive, structured texture [22, 23].”

    From Formulation development, physical stability, and preliminary safety screening of cosmetic emulsions containing banana peel extract (2026) · cites this paper as [22]

    The sections on factors affecting emulsion stability and on biopolymer stabilization describe polymers that form gel-like networks and increase emulsion viscosity (page not provided in our copy). They do not identify sodium polyacryloyldimethyl taurate (SPDT) or say that it binds water or oil and produces a cohesive, structured texture; those SPDT-specific claims are unsupported. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Collectively, these strategies allow the formulation of creams with desirable sensory, functional, and rheological properties by systematically adjusting thickener type and concentration.

    “Collectively, these strategies allow the formulation of creams with desirable sensory, functional, and rheological properties by systematically adjusting thickener type and concentration [22, 25].”

    From Formulation development, physical stability, and preliminary safety screening of cosmetic emulsions containing banana peel extract (2026) · cites this paper as [22]

    The “Stabilizing cream products” section (page unavailable) says that optimizing emulsion ingredients and processing parameters produced creams with smooth textures and desirable sensory properties. The “Rheological properties” section (page unavailable) reports that xanthan gum concentration affects emulsion viscosity. The review does not specifically establish that systematically adjusting thickener type and concentration produces all the claimed sensory, functional, and rheological properties in creams. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Thickener concentration is an established determinant of cream texture and mechanical integrity.

    “From a theoretical perspective, thickener concentration is an established determinant of cream texture and mechanical integrity.”

    From Formulation development, physical stability, and preliminary safety screening of cosmetic emulsions containing banana peel extract (2026) · cites this paper as [22]

    The review’s ‘Assessing emulsion stability > Rheological properties’ section reports that increasing xanthan gum concentration raises emulsion viscosity at low shear rates. Its ‘Stabilizing cream products’ section links cream texture to emulsion stability and additives. It does not establish that thickener concentration specifically determines cream texture or mechanical integrity. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Enhanced thickener content promotes a firmer consistency, while lower levels generate creams that are softer and more suited to lightweight products.

    “Enhanced thickener content promotes a firmer consistency, while lower levels generate creams that are softer and more suited to lightweight products [22].”

    From Formulation development, physical stability, and preliminary safety screening of cosmetic emulsions containing banana peel extract (2026) · cites this paper as [22]

    The “Rheological properties” section (page unavailable) reports that increasing xanthan gum concentration raises emulsion viscosity at low shear rates. The “Stabilizing cream products” section (page unavailable) links greater viscosity from higher oil and protein-particle content—not thickener content—to a stronger creamy structure. The review does not establish that lower thickener levels produce softer creams suited to lightweight products. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Small and homogeneously distributed droplets resulting from suitable emulsifiers and processing are necessary for achieving high physical stability.

    “Studies by [22] insist that small and homogeneously distributed droplets-result from a suitable choice of emulsifiers, the performance during processing- are necessary for achieving high physical stability.”

    From Formulation development, physical stability, and preliminary safety screening of cosmetic emulsions containing banana peel extract (2026) · cites this paper as [22]

    The Introduction says that a more uniform distribution of smaller droplets often indicates improved emulsion stability. The Factors affecting emulsion stability section says emulsifier choice and preparation conditions influence droplet size. But it also notes that emulsions with large or flocculated droplets can have high stability, so small, uniformly distributed droplets are not established as necessary. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Authors
Xiao, T., Ma, X., Hu, H., Xiang, F., Zhang, X., Zheng, Y., Dong, H., Adhikari, B., Wang, Q., & Shi, A.
Affiliations
  • Institute of Food Science and Technology (CN)
  • Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering (CN)
  • RMIT University (AU)
Corresponding author
  • Wang, Qiang
  • Shi, Aimin
Venue
Food Chemistry: X
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2025-07
Volume
29
Pages
102792
ISSN
2590-1575 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4412650871
Cited by
111
References
129
Citations by year
2026: 94 · 2025: 17
FWCI
9.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Food Chemistry X (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • National Key Research and Development Program of China (2023YFE0104900)
  • Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program (CAAS-ASTIP-2025-IFST)
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (32472271, 32172149)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Proteins in Food Systems
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Pickering emulsions and particle stabilization
  • Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Organic Chemistry › Surfactants and Colloidal Systems
Keywords
emulsion stability, emulsifiers, Pickering emulsions, protein emulsifiers, polyphenols, protein-polysaccharide complexes, food emulsions, shelf life, emulsion stabilization

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