Pickering emulsions stabilized with native and lauroylated amaranth starch

Pickering emulsions were prepared by using native and modified (esterification with lauroyl chloride) amaranth starches as stabilizing particles of an oil phase formed with a mixture of canola oil and α-tocopherol (1% v/v). The effect of different concentrations of native (NS) and modified starch (MS) ranging from 2 to 30 %wt was evaluated in the emulsions regarding average droplet size, emulsion stability, zeta potential (ζ) and emulsification index. Optical microscopy showed that both NS and MS were adsorbed at the oil-water interface forming a barrier that delayed phase separation. The MS gave place to a smaller emulsion droplet size than NS, and no phase separation was detected for the emulsions prepared by using 20 and 30 % wt of NS or MS, producing stable emulsions.