Bambara groundnut starch-soluble dietary fibre nanocomposite stabilised emulsions: Optimisation of emulsion stability and studies on time-dependent rheological properties

Due to their inherent thermodynamic instability, emulsions require stabilisers to maintain their integrity and prevent destabilisation. The effect of emulsion components (Bambara groundnut starch-soluble dietary fibre nanocomposite (STASOL), orange oil and water) on the rheological and stability properties of STASOL-stabilised emulsions was optimised. A randomised D-optimal exchange mixture design was used to determine the ratio of STASOL, orange oil and water required for a stable emulsion. The stability of these emulsions was evaluated using the initial mean backscattering index (BS_AVO), Turbiscan stability index (TSI) and hysteresis loop area (HLA). The BS_AVO (%), TSI and HLA of the emulsions ranged from 50.73 % (14:30:56 STASOL:oil:water) to 70.47 % (20:30:50 STASOL:oil:water), 0.0005 (20:30:50 STASOL:oil:water) to 0.1000 (8:42:50 STASOL:oil:water) and 0.37 Pas^-1 (10:32:58 STASOL:oil:water) to 5.69 Pas^-1 (20:30:50 STASOL:oil:water), respectively. Emulsions exhibited a direct relationship between STASOL concentration and stability metrics, with the highest stability achieved at 20 % STASOL concentration, 30 % orange oil and 50 % water. An increase in STASOL concentration coupled with a decrease in oil concentration results in a stable emulsion. Numerical optimisation and experimental validation confirmed the effectiveness of the selected formulation, demonstrating STASOL's potential as a natural stabiliser in beverage emulsions and its ability to enhance stability compared to synthetic alternatives.