Thymol‐loaded Zein–pectin composite nanoparticles as stabilizer to fabricate Pickering emulsion of star anise essential oil for improved stability and antimicrobial activity

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to prepare a new antimicrobial Pickering emulsion of which the star anise essential oil was added to the oil phase, and to investigate the effect of stabilization by bio‐based active nanoparticles consisting of zein and pectin loaded with thymol. First, the thymol‐loaded zein/pectin composite nanoparticles (ZTNPs) were fabricated as uniformly distributed spherical nanoparticles with an average diameter of 200 nm through antisolvent precipitation. Second, the effects of nanoparticles’ concentration, oil phase ratio, and storage time on the stability of emulsions were explored according to particle size potential, interfacial tension, rheology, and micromorphology. Finally, the antibacterial results showed that Pickering emulsion inhibited Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus compared to the control group by nearly 7 log colony‐forming unit/g at 36 h, which was twice as much as the inhibition by thymol or star anise essential oils and ZTNPs.. Therefore, the proposed Pickering emulsion with star anise essential oil could be used as a green and safe plant‐derived antimicrobial agent in the food industry.

Agricultural waste as a sustainable source for nanoparticle synthesis and their antimicrobial properties for food preservation

“…Furthermore, these films exhibited antimicrobial activity against L. monocytogenes in chicken samples at 4 °C for a storage time of 10 days (Xu et al, 2018). Meanwhile, Li et al (2023) used a system based on Pickering emulsion made up of nanoparticles based on Zeina-pectin loaded with thymol, to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus displaying much better results than the control by nearly 7 logs colony-forming unit/g at 36 h (Li et al, 2023).…”

Pickering Emulsion Edible Film Loaded With Oregano Essential Oil and Application in Muffin Preservation

“…Another limitation is that active essential oils cannot be uniformly added, and their active ingredients may spoil or volatilize during film preparation. Research suggested that Pickering emulsions (PEs) offer a promising solution to meet this challenge [7].…”