Waxy maize starch incorporated (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate can stabilize emulsion gel and improve antioxidant activity.

A food-grade emulsion gel was stabilized using waxy maize starch (WS) incorporated (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) at different ratio (from 5 % to 20 %, w/w). The microstructure, rheological behavior, physical stability and antioxidant activity of emulsion gels were investigated using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM), and rheometer, etc. The results suggested that incorporated EGCG obviously affected the spatial configuration of WS hydrogel. The WS/EGCG hydrogels presented an excellent lipophilic capacity characterized by tightly adhering to linseed oil droplets in the emulsion gels. Moreover, the viscosity, viscoelasticity and physical stability of the emulsion gels stabilized by the WS/EGCG hydrogel matrices were significantly enhanced. The emulsion gel stabilized by the WS/EGCG hydrogel matrix (15 % EGCG) had long-term emulsifying stability because its emulsified phase volume fraction (77.14 %) remained stable for 30 days. Compared with typical natural and synthetic antioxidants in food and pharmaceutical processing, the emulsion gels stabilized by the WS/EGCG hydrogel matrices showed significant stronger DPPH (97.45 %) and ABTS•+ (97.97 %) free radical scavenging activity. These results demonstrate that WS/EGCG hydrogels can not only be used in food-grade matrix materials to stabilize emulsion gels but also improve the antioxidant activity of the emulsion gels. [Display omitted] • Addition of EGCG has visible effect on microstructure of waxy starch hydrogel. • WS-EGCG interactions endow the starch hydrogel with lipophilicity. • WS/EGCG hydrogels can absorb on the surface of oil droplets as stabilizers. • WS/EGCG hydrogel can form an orderly network structure on emulsion droplets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]