Tsutashi Matsuura

Characteristics of Sugar Surfactants in Stabilizing Proteins During Freeze–Thawing and Freeze–Drying

Sugar surfactants with different alkyl chain lengths and sugar head groups were compared for their protein-stabilizing effect during freeze-thawing and freeze-drying. Six enzymes, different in terms of tolerance against inactivation because of freeze-thawing and freeze-drying, were used as model proteins. The enzyme activities that remained after freeze-thawing and freeze-drying in the presence of a sugar surfactant were measured for different types and concentrations of sugar surfactants. Sugar surfactants stabilized all of the tested enzymes both during freeze-thawing and freeze-drying, and a one or two order higher amount of added sugar surfactant was required for achieving protein stabilization during freeze-drying than for the cryoprotection. The comprehensive comparison showed that the C10-C12 esters of sucrose or trehalose were the most effective through the freeze-drying process: the remaining enzyme activities after freeze-thawing and freeze-drying increased at the sugar ester concentrations of 1-10 and 10-100 μM, respectively, and increased to a greater extent than for the other surfactants at higher concentrations. Results also indicate that, when a decent amount of sugar was also added, the protein-stabilizing effect of a small amount of sugar ester through the freeze-drying process could be enhanced.

Surfactant-free solid dispersion of fat-soluble flavour in an amorphous sugar matrix

A solid dispersion technique to homogeneously disperse hydrophobic ingredients in a water-soluble solid without using surfactant was examined as follows: first, freeze-dried amorphous sugar was dissolved in an organic medium that contained a soluble model hydrophobic component. Second, the mixed solution of sugar and the model hydrophobic component was vacuum dried into a solid (solid dispersion). Methanol and six fat-soluble flavours, including cinnamaldehyde, were used as organic media and model hydrophobic components. The retention of flavours in the solid dispersion during drying and storage under vacuum was evaluated. The amorphised disaccharides dissolved in methanol up to 100mg/mL, even temporarily (20s to 10 days) and could be solidified without any evidence of crystallisation and segregation from flavour. The solid dispersion, prepared using α-maltose usually showed 65-95% flavour retention during drying (and storage for cinnamaldehyde), whereas ⩾ 50% of the flavour was lost when the flavour was O/W emulsified with a surfactant and then freeze-dried with sugar.

Effect of Alcohols on the Phase Behavior and Emulsification of a Sucrose Fatty Acid Ester/Water/Edible Oil System

The effect of alcohols (ethanol, 1-propanol, propylene glycol, glycerin, sucrose) on the phase behavior and emulsification of sucrose stearic acid ester (SSE)/water/edible vegetable oil (EVO) systems was investigated. Adding sucrose, propylene glycol, and glycerin narrowed the oil-separated two-phase region in the phase diagram of the SSE/water/EVO systems, whereas adding ethanol and 1-propanol expanded the oil-separated two-phase region. Changing the course of emulsification in the phase diagram showed that the size of the oil-droplet particle typically decreased in a system with a narrowed oil-separated region. The emulsification properties of the systems varied with respect to changes in the phase diagram. The microstructure of the systems was examined using small-angle X-ray scattering, and the ability to retain the oil in the lamellar structure of the SSEs was suggested as an important role in emulsification, because the mechanism of the systems was the same as that for the liquid crystal emulsification method.