Oil droplet coalescence does not necessarily affect the flavor release from oil-in-water emulsions

Effects of oil droplet coalescence on the release of fruity aroma compounds from milk proteins or a modified starch-based solutions and emulsions were studied by static headspace-gas chromatography. While a coalescence promoter, diglycerol ester of oleic acid decreased the release of relatively hydrophobic ethyl pentanoate and ethyl hexanoate from sodium caseinate solution due to incorporation of the flavor compounds into the vesicles formed in the solution, the other coalescence promoter, an amylase did not significantly affect the flavor release from modified starch solution. For emulsions, the release of the hydrophobic flavor compounds was generally decreased as compared to the solutions, indicating that flavor compounds used in this research tend to dissolve into the dispersed oil phase. Coalescence of oil droplets was successfully induced by the coalescence promoters under static conditions. Evaluation of the flavor release from the emulsions exhibiting coalescence revealed that oil droplet coalescence does not necessarily affect the flavor release from oil-in-water emulsions.