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. 2025 Dec:123:107660.
doi: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2025.107660. Epub 2025 Oct 30.

Effect of ultrasound on the microstructure, stability, and physicochemical properties of soy protein isolate-fenugreek gum composite emulsions

Yang Song  1 , Xinyu Wang  2 , Tianyu Zhang  2 , Jincheng Sha  2 , Cuntang Wang  3 , Chunli Song  4
Affiliations

Effect of ultrasound on the microstructure, stability, and physicochemical properties of soy protein isolate-fenugreek gum composite emulsions

Yang Song et al. Ultrason Sonochem. 2025 Dec.

Abstract

In this study, the effect of ultrasonic treatment on Soy protein isolate (SPI)-Fenugreek gum (FG) emulsions was investigated to improve the stability and physicochemical properties of SPI-FG emulsions, as well as to expand their application scope in the food field. The microstructure was characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) etc. Stability and physicochemical properties were evaluated via creaming index (CI), emulsion stability index (ESI), and rheological properties etc. Results showed that appropriate ultrasonic treatment improved emulsion dispersion and reduced aggregation, producing small and uniform droplets. Under the optimal ultrasonic treatment conditions, the stability and physicochemical properties of the SPI-FG emulsion are significantly improved. These findings demonstrate that ultrasonic treatment optimizes the performance of SPI-FG emulsions, providing theoretical support for their application in plant-based food processing.

Keywords: Emulsion stability; Fenugreek gum; Physicochemical properties; Soy protein isolate; Ultrasound-treated emulsions.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

None
Graphical abstract
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Preparation flow chart of SPI-FG composite emulsions.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
AFM images of SPI-FG emulsions under different ultrasound powers. The ultrasound time was 30 min.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
CLSM images of SPI-FG emulsions under different ultrasound powers. The ultrasound time was 30 min.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Infrared spectrogram of SPI-FG Emulsions at different ultrasound times. The ultrasound power was 450 W.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
A. Freeze-thaw cycle diagram of SPI-FG Emulsions B. Oil droplet distribution map of SPI − FG Emulsions C. Oil droplet size diagram of SPI-FG Emulsions under different ultrasound times. The ultrasound power was 450 W.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
A. Freeze-thaw cycle diagram of SPI-FG Emulsions B. Oil droplet distribution map of SPI − FG Emulsions C. Oil droplet size diagram of SPI-FG Emulsions under different ultrasound times. The ultrasound power was 450 W.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
A. Freeze-thaw cycle diagram of SPI-FG Emulsions B. Oil droplet distribution map of SPI − FG Emulsions C. Oil droplet size diagram of SPI-FG Emulsions under different ultrasound times. The ultrasound power was 450 W.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Centrifugal precipitation rate of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times. The ultrasound power was 450 W.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
A. Effects of different ultrasound times on PV of SPI-FG Emulsions B. TBARS of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times. The ultrasound power was 450 W.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Emulsification of SPI-FG Emulsions at different ultrasound times. The ultrasound power was 450 W.
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
EAI and ESI of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times. The ultrasound power was 450 W.
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
A. Viscosity and frequency curves of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times B. Elastic modulus of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times C. Rate stabilization curves of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times. The ultrasound power was 450 W.
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
A. Viscosity and frequency curves of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times B. Elastic modulus of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times C. Rate stabilization curves of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times. The ultrasound power was 450 W.
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
A. Viscosity and frequency curves of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times B. Elastic modulus of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times C. Rate stabilization curves of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times. The ultrasound power was 450 W.
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
Nitrogen solubility of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times. The ultrasound power was 450 W.
Fig. 12
Fig. 12
A. Contact angle plot of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times. B. Surface tension diagram of SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times. The ultrasound power was 450 W.
Fig. 13
Fig. 13
Interfacial protein distribution in SPI-FG emulsions at different ultrasound times. The ultrasound power was 450 W.
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