Protein-stabilized emulsions containing beta-carotene produced by premix membrane emulsification

Abstract Protein-stabilized O/W emulsions containing beta-carotene were produced by premix membrane emulsification (ME) using polymeric microfiltration membranes. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and a whey protein concentrate (WPC) were used as protein emulsifiers while a nonionic small-molecule surfactant, Tween 20, was used both as a control and co-emulsifier. Membrane fouling caused by WPC reduced more significantly transmembrane flux than that by BSA. Mixtures of WPC or BSA with Tween 20 reduced protein membrane fouling and, simultaneously, decreased the mean droplet size. WPC/Tween 20 mixtures enable to produce emulsions with low polydispersion (span