Physicochemical and functional properties of cinnamon essential oil emulsions stabilized by galactomannan-rich aqueous extract from Gleditsia sinensis seeds and soy protein isolate

Yinglin Liang; Kegang Wu; Dong He; Cansheng Ou; Jiawei Lin; Xianghua Chai; Yujuan Xiang; Xuejuan Duan; Qin Cha; Xiangyu Zhang; Wei Xie; Chenghua Wang; Qiang An; Shengjian Wei

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.139601

Physicochemical and functional properties of cinnamon essential oil emulsions stabilized by galactomannan-rich aqueous extract from Gleditsia sinensis seeds and soy protein isolate

Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 Jan 7:139601. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.139601. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yinglin Liang¹, Kegang Wu², Dong He³, Cansheng Ou¹, Jiawei Lin¹, Xianghua Chai¹, Yujuan Xiang¹, Xuejuan Duan¹, Qin Cha⁴, Xiangyu Zhang⁴, Wei Xie⁵, Chenghua Wang⁶, Qiang An⁷, Shengjian Wei⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, No. 100 Waihuan Xi Road, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, People's Republic of China.
² Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, No. 100 Waihuan Xi Road, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, People's Republic of China; Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Chemistry and Fine Chemical Engineering Jieyangvb Center, Guangdong University of Technology, Jieyang City 522000, People's Republic of China.
³ Department of Food Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, No. 100 Waihuan Xi Road, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, People's Republic of China; Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Chemistry and Fine Chemical Engineering Jieyangvb Center, Guangdong University of Technology, Jieyang City 522000, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: hedong86284116@163.com.
⁴ Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Bijie City, Guizhou Province 551700, People's Republic of China.
⁵ Guizhou Province, Bijie City, Zhijin County, Maochang Town, Qianzhi Mingguang Soaphorn Rice Processing Base, Bijie City 552103, People's Republic of China.
⁶ College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, People's Republic of China.
⁷ Technology Innovation Center of Natural Fragrances and Flavors, State Administration for Market Regulation, People's Republic of China.

PMID: 39788257
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.139601

Abstract

Cinnamon essential oil has gained widespread attention in the food industry as a safe and effective preservative. However, its low water solubility and high volatility limit its application in food, making the use of natural emulsifiers for its emulsification an increasingly popular focus of research. This study focuses on the extraction of galactomannan-rich aqueous extracts from Gleditsia sinensis seeds using a low-energy, low-pollution microwave-assisted method. The extracted aqueous extracts from Gleditsia sinensis seeds was combined with soy protein isolate to prepare a cinnamon essential oil emulsion, followed by physicochemical characterization and stabilization mechanism studies. The emulsions demonstrated excellent storage stability at 4 °C, along with robust ionic, pH, temperature, and freeze-thaw stability. Furthermore, the emulsions exhibited significant antioxidant activity and effectively inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes, highlighting their potential for application in food preservation. Preservation trials with orange juice confirmed that our emulsion achieved preservation comparable to that of the commercial food preservative potassium sorbate. These findings provide valuable insights for developing stable and functional natural food emulsifiers.

Keywords: Cinnamon essential oil; Emulsion; Functionality; Galactomannan; Physicochemistry; Soy protein isolate.