Abstract This study aimed to determine the effect of clustering of protein-stabilised oil droplets with proanthocyanidins on mechanical, tribological and sensory properties of o/w emulsions and emulsion-filled gels. Whey protein-stabilised oil droplets in o/w emulsions were crosslinked with proanthocyanidins, which led to the controlled formation of dense clusters of strongly-interacting oil droplets, in a size range from 2 to 110 μm. With increasing degree of clustering of oil droplets, the viscosity of o/w emulsions increased by up to three orders of magnitude. Clustering of oil droplets decreased friction coefficients. Clustering led to an increase in perceived creaminess, coating and thickness intensity. The changes in fat-related sensory perception were an interplay of both flow- and friction behaviour. In emulsion-filled gelatine gels, crosslinking of oil droplets increased Young's modulus and decreased fracture strain and stress. With increasing cluster size, gels were perceived as harder and more grainy than emulsion-filled gels with non-clustered oil droplets. Creaminess of emulsion-filled gels did not increase upon clustering, as hardness also increased. When Young's modulus and perceived hardness of the gels were matched, gels containing clustered oil droplets tended to be perceived more creamy (not significant, p = 0.07) and significantly less watery than gels with non-clustered oil droplets. We relate these effects to the role of the emulsion droplets as structuring agents and an increase of the effective volume fraction by clustering of oil droplets. We conclude that clustering of protein-stabilised oil droplets with proanthocyanidins in o/w emulsions and emulsion-filled gels can be used to modify flow- and texture properties with positive effects on perception of fat-related sensory attributes.

中文翻译：

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含原花青素的蛋白质稳定油滴聚集对 O/W 乳液和乳液填充凝胶的机械、摩擦和感官特性的影响

摘要 本研究旨在确定蛋白质稳定的油滴与原花青素的聚类对 O/W 乳液和乳液填充凝胶的机械、摩擦和感官特性的影响。o/w 乳液中乳清蛋白稳定的油滴与原花青素交联，这导致受控形成密集的强相互作用油滴簇，大小范围为 2 至 110 μm。随着油滴聚集程度的增加，o/w 乳液的粘度增加了三个数量级。油滴的聚集降低了摩擦系数。聚集导致感知的乳脂状、涂层和厚度强度的增加。与脂肪相关的感官知觉的变化是流动和摩擦行为的相互作用。在充满乳液的明胶凝胶中，油滴的交联增加了杨氏模量并降低了断裂应变和应力。随着簇大小的增加，凝胶被认为比具有非簇油滴的乳液填充凝胶更硬和更有颗粒感。乳液填充凝胶的乳脂状在聚集时没有增加，因为硬度也增加了。当凝胶的杨氏模量和感知硬度相匹配时，含有簇状油滴的凝胶往往比具有非簇状油滴的凝胶感觉更乳脂状（不显着，p = 0.07）并且明显更不含水。我们将这些影响与乳液液滴作为结构剂的作用以及通过油滴聚集增加有效体积分数相关联。