Emulsifying Properties of the Mucilage Extracted from Ruredzo (Dicerocaryum zangueharium)

Abstract

Emulsions of corn oil in solutions containing up to 1.5% mucilage from ruredzo (Dicerocaryum zangueharium) in buffer solutions were prepared in a piston homogenizer. Emulsification was assessed by diluting samples of emulsions in sodium dodecyl sulfate and measuring absorbance at 500 nm. Viscosities of mucilage solutions were measured in a rotational viscometer. Emulsification capacity increased with mucilage concentration but was decreased in the presence of NaCl and CaCl₂. Except at 1.5%, mucilage concentration, for which about 50% emulsifying ability was retained after 10 min, .most of the emulsions were broken up after ten minutes. The optimum pH for the formation of emulsions was about 7.4 with poor emulsification at both higher and lower pHs. The changes in emulsifying capacity that were brought about by changes in pH, NaCl, and CaCl₂ concentration corresponded to changes in viscosity that were brought about by pH and salt concentration.