Application of Pectin-Grape Seed Polyphenol Combination Restores Consistency and Emulsion Stability and Enhances Antioxidant Capacity of Reduced Oil Aquafaba Vegan Mayonnaise

Abstract

The reduction of oil content causes dramatic loss of desired textural and rheological properties and emulsion stability of chickpea aquafaba vegan mayonnaise (AVM). This study aimed at restoring lost textural and rheological properties and boosting antioxidant capacity in reduced oil AVM by addition of citrus pectin (CP)-grape seed polyphenol extract (GSE) combination. The AVM formed by 60% sunflower oil (SFO) with 1% (w/w) CP-GSE combination (M60-CP-GSE) showed almost 14.0, 12.0, 13.0 and 2.6, 2.3, 1.2-fold greater firmness, consistency index and apparent viscosity than AVMs formed by 60% SFO (M60) or 60% SFO with 1% CP (M60-CP), respectively. The M60-CP-GSE did not show any phase separation by centrifugation while M60-CP and M60 showed limited and considerable phase separation by centrifugation, respectively. The D[4,3] particle sizes of emulsion droplets were 125, 14.7 and 54 nm for M60, M60-CP, and M60-CP-GSE, respectively. The fluorescence microscopic images showed that M60-CP-GSE contained the most densely packed emulsified oil droplets. The use of GSE gave brownish AVM color, but grape seed polyphenols boosted antioxidant activity of mayonnaise (54.72 µmol Trolox per ml). This work showed the good potential of CP-GSE combination to improve textural properties and antioxidant potential of reduced oil emulsion-based vegan foods. © 2024 Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)