Impact of lemon oil composition on formation and stability of model food and beverage emulsions

Lemon oil is a complex organic compound isolated from citrus peel, which is commonly used as a flavouring agent in beverages, foods, cosmetics, and household products. We have studied the influence of lemon oil fold (1×, 3×, 5× and 10×) on the formation and properties of oil-in-water emulsions. Initially, the composition, molecular characteristics, and physicochemical properties of the four lemon oils were established. The main constituents in single-fold lemon oil were monoterpenes (>90%), whereas the major constituents in 10-fold lemon oil were monoterpenes (≈35%), sesquiterpenes (≈14%) and oxygenates (≈33%). The density, interfacial tension, viscosity, and refractive index of the lemon oils increased as the oil fold increased (i.e., 1× < 3× < 5× < 10×). The stability of oil-in-water emulsions produced by high pressure homogenisation was strongly influenced by lemon oil fold. The lower fold oils were highly unstable to droplet growth during storage (1×, 3×, and 5×) with the growth rate increasing with increasing storage temperature and decreasing oil fold. Droplet growth was attributed to Ostwald ripening, i.e., diffusion of lemon oil molecules from small to large droplets. The highest fold oil (10×) was stable to droplet growth, which was attributed to the presence of an appreciable fraction of constituents with very low water-solubility that inhibited droplet growth through a compositional ripening effect. This study provides important information about the relationship between lemon oil composition and its performance in emulsions suitable for use in food and beverage products.     

Food-grade microemulsions,nanoemulsions and emulsions: Fabrication from sucrose monopalmitate & lemon oil

Sucrose monopalmitate (SMP) is a non-toxic, biodegradable, non-ionic surfactant suitable for use in foods and beverages. This study aimed to establish conditions where stable microemulsions, nanoemulsions or emulsions could be fabricated using SMP as a surfactant and lemon oil as an oil phase. Emulsions (r > 100 nm) or nanoemulsions (r < 100 nm) were formed at low surfactant-to-oil ratios (SOR < 1) depending on homogenization conditions, whereas microemulsions (r < 10 nm) were formed at higher ratios (SOR > 1). The impact of simple mixing, thermal treatment, and homogenization on the formation of the different colloidal systems was investigated. Blending/heating was needed to produce microemulsions or emulsions, whereas blending/heating/homogenization was needed to produce nanoemulsions. The impact of environmental stresses (pH, ionic strength, temperature) on the functional performance of nanoemulsions and microemulsions was examined. Relatively stable nanoemulsions could be formed at pH 6 and 7 and stable microemulsions at pH 5 and 6, but extensive particle growth/aggregation occurred at lower and higher pH values. Microemulsions were relatively stable to salt addition (0–200 mM NaCl), but nanoemulsions exhibited droplet aggregation/growth at ≥50 mM NaCl after 1 month storage at pH 7. Microemulsions formed gels at low temperatures (5 °C), were stable at ambient temperatures (23 °C), and exhibited particle growth at elevated temperatures (40 °C). Nanoemulsions were stable at refrigerator (5 °C) and ambient (23 °C) temperatures, but exhibited coalescence at elevated temperatures (40 °C). This study provides important information for optimizing the application of sucrose monoesters to form colloidal dispersions in food and beverage products.     

Lemon oil solubilization in mixed surfactant solutions: Rationalizing microemulsion & nanoemulsion formation

Lipophilic functional ingredients are usually incorporated into aqueous-based foods and beverages in the form of colloidal dispersions. In this study, we investigated the rate and extent of solubilization of emulsified lemon oil in mixed non-ionic surfactant solutions (buffer: propylene glycol = 2:1): sucrose monopalmitate (SMP) and/or Tween 80 (T80). The influence of surfactant concentration, type, and mixing ratio on lemon oil solubilization was investigated, with the aim of identifying suitable conditions for preparing stable microemulsions and nanoemulsions. Solubilization was monitored by measuring changes in light scattering by lemon oil droplets after they were dispersed in surfactant solutions (pH 7). The solubilization process was rapid (<few minutes), with the rate increasing with increasing surfactant concentration. For a particular surfactant type and concentration, lemon oil was transferred from nanoemulsion droplets into microemulsion droplets until a critical lemon oil concentration (C_sat) was reached, after which it remained as nanoemulsion droplets. The value of C_sat increased with increasing surfactant concentration and was higher for SMP than Tween 80. The impact of storage at pH 3.5 on the physical stability of microemulsions and nanoemulsions was examined. Acid stable colloidal dispersions could not be formed using SMP alone. However, relatively stable nanoemulsions and microemulsions could be formed when ≥75 or 50 wt% Tween 80 was incorporated into the surfactant phase, respectively. This study provides important information for the rational design of food-grade colloidal delivery systems for encapsulating and delivering functional lipids for food and beverage applications.     

Food-grade microemulsions and nanoemulsions: Role of oil phase composition on formation and stability

Lemon oil is widely used as a flavoring component in beverages, foods, cosmetics, and household products. Lemon oil comes in a variety of chemical compositions depending on its biological origin, extraction methods, and purification procedures. At present, there is a relatively poor understanding of the influence of lemon oil composition on its functional properties. In this study, we examined the influence of lemon oil fold (1×, 3×, 5× and 10×) on the formation and properties of oil-in-water microemulsions and nanoemulsions. The concentration of both polar (high water solubility and low log P) and non-polar (low-water solubility and high log P) components increased with increasing oil fold. The nature of the colloid dispersions formed was established using an emulsion titration method that involved titrating lemon oil droplets into a surfactant micelle solution (1% Tween 80). Oil fold affected the rate and extent of solubilization, as well as the stability of lemon oil droplets to growth. The maximum amount of lemon oil that could be solubilized within the micelles increased with increasing oil fold, as did the stability of lemon oil droplets to growth. The results were interpreted in terms of the ability of different lemon oil molecules to be incorporated within water or surfactant micelles, and the influence of lemon oil polarity on Ostwald ripening. This study provides valuable information about the relationship between lemon oil composition and its performance in colloidal delivery systems suitable for use in the food and beverage industries.     

Rheology and microstructure of myofibrillar protein-plant lipid composite gels: Effect of emulsion droplet size and membrane type

Composite gels were prepared from 2% myofibrillar protein (MP) with 10% imbedded pre-emulsified plant oils (olive and peanut) of various particle sizes at 0.6 M NaCl, pH 6.2. Dynamic rheological testing upon temperature sweeping (20-70 °C at 2 °C/min) showed substantial increases in G′ (elastic modulus) of MP sols/gels with the addition of emulsions, and the G′ increases were inversely related to the emulsion droplet size. Furthermore, gels containing emulsified olive oil had a greater (P < 0.05) hardness than those containing emulsified peanut oil. Regardless of oil types, MP-coated oil droplets exhibited stronger reinforcement of MP gels than Tween 80-stablized oil droplets; the latter composite gels had considerable syneresis. Light microscopy with paraffin sectioning revealed a stable gel structure when filled with protein-coated oil droplets, compared to gels with Tween 80-treated emulsions that showed coalesced oil droplets. These results suggest that rheological characteristics, hardness, texture, and water-holding capacity of MP gels were influenced by type of oils, the nature of the interfacial membrane, and the size of emulsion droplets.     

Formation of nanoemulsions stabilized by model food-grade emulsifiers using high-pressure homogenization: Factors affecting particle size

Nanoemulsions are finding increasing utilization in the food and beverage industries for certain applications because of their unique physicochemical and functional properties: high encapsulation efficiency; low turbidity; high bioavailability; high physical stability. In this study, we examined the impact of system composition and homogenization conditions on the formation of nanoemulsions using a high-pressure homogenizer (microfluidizer). The mean particle diameter decreased with increasing homogenization pressure and number of passes, with a linear log–log relationship between mean particle diameter and homogenization pressure. The minimum droplet diameter that could be produced after 6 passes at 14 kbar depended strongly on emulsifier type and concentration: SDS < Tween 20 < β-lactoglobulin < sodium caseinate. Small-molecule surfactants formed smaller droplets than proteins, which was attributed to their ability to rapidly adsorb to the droplet surfaces during homogenization. The impact of phase viscosity was examined by using different octadecane-to-corn oil ratios in the oil phase and different glycerol-to-water ratios in the aqueous phase. The minimum droplet size achievable decreased as the ratio of disperse phase to continuous phase viscosities (η_D/η_C) decreased for SDS-stabilized emulsions, but was relatively independent of η_D/η_C for β-lactoglobulin-stabilized emulsions. At low viscosity ratios, much smaller mean droplet diameters could be achieved for SDS (d ∼ 60 nm) than for β-lactoglobulin (d ∼ 150 nm). The information reported in this study will facilitate the rational design of food-grade nanoemulsions using high-pressure homogenization methods.     

Influence of interfacial composition on oxidative stability of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by biopolymer emulsifiers

The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of storage pH (3 and 7) and biopolymer emulsifier type (Whey protein isolate (WPI), Modified starch (MS) and Gum arabic (GA)) on the physical and oxidative stability of rice bran oil-in-water emulsions. All three emulsifiers formed small emulsion droplets (d₃₂ < 0.5 μm) when used at sufficiently high levels: 0.45%, 1% and 10% for WPI, MS and GA, respectively. The droplets were relatively stable to droplet growth throughout storage (d₃₂ < 0.6 μm after 20 days), although there was some evidence of droplet aggregation particularly in the MS-stabilized emulsions. The electrical charge on the biopolymer-coated lipid droplets depended on pH and biopolymer type: −13 and −27 mV at pH 3 and 7 for GA; −2 and −3 mV at pH 3 and 7 for MS; +37 and −38 mV at pH 3 and 7 for WPI. The oxidative stability of the emulsions was monitored by measuring peroxide (primary products) and hexanal (secondary products) formation during storage at 37 °C, for up to 20 days, in the presence of a pro-oxidant (iron/EDTA). Rice bran oil emulsions containing MS- and WPI-coated lipid droplets were relatively stable to lipid oxidation, but those containing GA-coated droplets were highly unstable to oxidation at both pH 3 and 7. The results are interpreted in terms of the impact of the electrical characteristics of the biopolymers on the ability of cationic iron ions to interact with emulsified lipids. These results have important implications for utilizing rice bran oil, and other oxidatively unstable oils, in commercial food and beverage products.     

Utilisation of spontaneous emulsification to fabricate lutein‐loaded nanoemulsion‐based delivery systems: factors influencing particle size and colour

Factors influencing the formation and properties of lutein‐loaded nanoemulsions fabricated using spontaneous emulsification (SE) were investigated. Nanoemulsion formation depended on oil type: small droplets (diameter ≈ 200 nm) with a narrow monomodal particle size distribution (polydispersity index ≈ 0.23) could be formed using medium‐chain triglycerides (MCT), but not long‐chain triglycerides. Nanoemulsion formation also depended on surfactant type and concentration, with Tween 80 being the most effective surfactant. Optimisation of lutein‐loaded nanoemulsions formed by SE led to systems with a final composition of 10 wt% oil phase (0.12 wt% lutein + 9.88 wt% MCT), 10 wt% Tween 80, and 80 wt% aqueous phase. The nanoemulsions were stable to droplet aggregation when stored at ambient temperature for up to 1 month; however, some colour fading occurred due to lutein degradation. This study indicated the potential of nanoemulsion‐based delivery system fabricated using a low‐energy method for encapsulation and protection of lutein.     

Inulin blend as prebiotic and fat replacer in dairy desserts: optimization by response surface methodology

The purpose of this work was to optimize the formulation of a prebiotic dairy dessert with low fat content (<0.1 g/100 g) using a mixture of short- and long-chain inulin. Response surface methodology was applied to obtain the experimental design and data analysis. Nineteen formulations of dairy dessert were prepared, varying inulin concentration (3 to 9 g/100 g), sucrose concentration (4 to 16 g/100 g), and lemon flavor concentration (25 to 225 mg/kg). Sample acceptability evaluated by 100 consumers varied mainly in terms of inulin and sucrose concentrations and, to a lesser extent, of lemon flavor content. An interaction effect among inulin and sucrose concentration was also found. According to the model obtained, the formulation with 5.5 g/100 g inulin, 10 g/100 g sucrose and 60 mg/kg of lemon flavor was selected. Finally, this sample was compared sensorially with the regular fat content (2.8 g/100 g) sample previously optimized in terms of lemon flavor (146 mg/kg) and sucrose (11.4 g/100 g). No significant difference in acceptability was found between them but the low-fat sample with inulin possessed stronger lemon flavor and greater thickness and creaminess.     

Characteristics of submicron emulsions prepared by ultra-high pressure homogenisation: Effect of chilled or frozen storage

Model O/W pre-emulsions at an initial temperature of 24 °C and pH 6.3, and containing (w/w) 4.3% whey proteins plus 15, 30 or 45% peanut oil were processed using a ∼15 L/h homogeniser with a high pressure (HP) valve immediately followed by cooling heat exchangers. The effect of ultra-high pressure homogenisation (UHPH) between 100 and 300 MPa (P₁) or of recycling (1–3 homogenisation passes) at 200 MPa was investigated on the droplet size distribution, size indices and viscosity. Fluid temperatures were measured at the inlet (T₁) and outlet (T₂) of the HP-valve, and after immediate cooling downstream of the HP-valve (T₃) as they varied throughout UHPH. Short-life heating phenomena and mechanical energy involved in droplet processing were clearly influenced by emulsion composition. Oil droplet diameters decreased when (P₁) increased from 100 to 300 MPa leading to submicron droplets at ≥200 MPa. Monomodal distributions with droplets well below 0.3 μm were obtained after recycling at 200 MPa for the three oil contents, with a peak at 138 nm (distribution in volume) or 60–70 nm (in number frequency). The emulsion behaviour varied from fluid (and quite Newtonian) to thick (and shear thinning) depending on the droplet size reduction and the oil volume fraction. Emulsions displayed an excellent stability vs. creaming and coalescence after 9 d storage at 5 °C. Freezing followed by 13 d storage at −24 °C then thawing, induced an increase in particle sizes depending both on the oil volume fraction and (P₁). After UHPH at 200–225 MPa (±recycling), the freezing/thawing process maintained most of oil droplet size below 1 μm at 15% (w/w) oil, and induced mainly oil droplet aggregation through SDS-labile interactions at higher oil contents.     

Co-encapsulation of fish oil with phytosterol esters and limonene by milk proteins

Co-encapsulated microcapsules containing three lipophilic bioactive components (LBCs) including fish oil, phytosterols and limonene were studied and compared with those containing only fish oil. Milk proteins (whey protein isolate and sodium caseinate in a ratio of 4:1) were used as wall materials. Results show that good quality microcapsules can be obtained at inlet temperature of 170 °C and outlet temperature of 70 °C, with the wall to core ratio of 4:1. There was no significant different (p > 0.05) in the microencapsulation efficiency and the oxidation indicators (PV and AV) after the accelerated storage for both types of microcapsules. However, the retention of EPA and DHA in the LBCs-microcapsules was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the fish oil microcapsules. The phytosterols content was unchanged but loss of limonene occurred after storage. The LBCs-microcapsules had better flavor/odour profile than the fish oil microcapsules after drying and storage.     

Physicochemical characterisation and oxidative stability of fish oil and fish oil–extra virgin olive oil microencapsulated by sugar beet pectin

Spray-dried microcapsules were prepared at 25% and 50% w/w oil load from sugar beet pectin-stabilised emulsions (pH 3) containing fish oil, and a blend of fish oil and with extra virgin olive oil (1:1 w/w). Microencapsulation efficiencies were high (≥90%). However, deterioration in microcapsule wall integrity and an increase in oil droplet size were observed during storage (25 °C, 0–3 months). Lipid oxidation increased with both increased oil load (P < 0.05) and storage duration (P < 0.05), but was independent of oil composition (P > 0.05). These results suggest that sugar beet pectin functions poorly as a wall material and its residual metal ions exacerbate omega-3 oxidation, despite the presence of endogenous antioxidants found in extra virgin olive oil. Interestingly, under accelerated storage conditions (OxiPres® at 80 °C, 0.5 bar oxygen pressure), microcapsules containing the oil blend showed the best oxidative stability (P < 0.05), irrespective of oil load. A possible explanation for the superior oxidative stability of the microencapsulated oil blend at high storage temperature is discussed.     

Effect of Arabic gum,xanthan gum and orange oil on flavor release from diluted orange beverage emulsion

The influence of main emulsion components namely Arabic gum (13–20% w/w), xanthan gum (0.3–0.20% w/w) and orange oil (10–14% w/w) on semi-quantitative headspace analysis of target volatile flavor compounds released from a model orange beverage (diluted orange beverage emulsion) was evaluated by using a three-factor circumscribed central composite design (CCCD). For optimization procedure, the peak area of 13 volatile flavor compounds (i.e. ethyl acetate, α-pinene, ethyl butyrate, β-pinene, 3-carene, myrcene, limonene, γ-terpinene, octanal, decanal, linalool, neral and geranial) were considered as response variables. The response surface analysis exhibited that the significant (p < 0.05) second-order polynomial regression equations were successfully fitted for all response variables except for ethyl butyrate. A satisfactory coefficient of determination (R²) ranged from 0.831 to 0.969 (>0.8) was obtained for the response variables studied. No significant (p > 0.05) lack of fit was indicated for the reduced models except for the models fitted for limonene and linalool. This observation confirmed an accurate fitness of the reduced response surface models to the experimental data. The multiple response optimizations indicated that an orange beverage emulsion containing 15.87% (w/w) Arabic gum, 0.5% (w/w) xanthan gum and 10% (w/w) orange oil was predicted to provide the minimum overall flavor release.     

Properties and antioxidant activity of fish skin gelatin film incorporated with citrus essential oils

Properties of protein-based film from fish skin gelatin incorporated with different citrus essential oils, including bergamot, kaffir lime, lemon and lime (50% based on protein) in the presence of 20% and 30% glycerol were investigated. Films containing 20% glycerol had higher tensile strength (TS) but lower elongation at break (EAB), compared with those prepared with 30% glycerol, regardless of essential oils incorporated (p < 0.05). Films incorporated with essential oils, especially from lime, at both glycerol levels showed the lower TS but higher EAB than the control films (without incorporated essential oil) (p < 0.05). Water vapour permeability (WVP) of films containing essential oils was lower than that of control films for both glycerol levels (p < 0.05). Films with essential oils had varying ΔE^* (total colour difference), where the highest value was observed in that added with bergamot essential oil (p < 0.05). Higher glycerol content increased EAB and WVP but decreased TS of films. Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) spectra indicated that films added with essential oils exhibited higher hydrophobicity with higher amplitude at wavenumber of 2874–2926 cm⁻¹ and 1731–1742 cm⁻¹ than control film. Film incorporated with essential oils exhibited slightly lower thermal degradation resistance, compared to the control film. Varying effect of essential oil on thermal degradation temperature and weight loss was noticeable, but all films prepared using 20% glycerol had higher thermal degradation temperature with lower weight loss, compared with those containing 30% glycerol. Films added with all types of essential oils had rough cross-section, compared with control films, irrespective of glycerol levels. However, smooth surface was observed in all film samples. Film incorporated with lemon essential oil showed the highest ABTS radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) (p < 0.05), while the other films had lower activity. Thus, the incorporation of different essential oils and glycerol levels directly affected the properties of gelatin-based film from fish skin.     

Response surface methodology and multivariate analysis of equilibrium headspace concentration of orange beverage emulsion as function of emulsion composition and structure

The influence of emulsion composition (i.e. Arabic gum, xanthan gum and, orange oil) and structural emulsion properties (i.e. average droplet size and apparent viscosity) on equilibrium headspace concentration of beverage emulsions was investigated. Increase in average droplet size led to increase the equilibrium headspace concentration of more hydrophilic volatile compounds (i.e. lower log P) such as ethyl acetate and octanal, but decrease in more hydrophobic volatile compounds such as 3-carene, myrcene and limonene. In most cases, apparent viscosity had significant positive effect on equilibrium headspace concentration. Principle component analysis (PCA) score discriminated the beverage emulsions containing the same orange oil content but different contents of emulsifiers in different classes, thus indicating the significant (p < 0.05) effect of emulsifier fraction on equilibrium headspace concentration. Beverage emulsion containing 22.2% (w/w) Arabic gum, 0.52% (w/w) xanthan gum and 14.21% (w/w) orange oil was estimated to provide the highest equilibrium headspace concentration.     

Oxidative stability of olive oil–lemon juice salad dressings stabilized with polysaccharides

Lipid oxidation is a major cause of quality deterioration in food emulsions. Polysaccharides used to improve emulsion stability and texture may also affect lipid oxidation. In the present study, the oxidative stability of olive oil–lemon juice salad dressings, stabilized with gum arabic or propylene glycol alginate in admixture with xanthan, was investigated. Oil-in-water emulsions (50:50, v/v) were prepared with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil and then homogenized at various homogenization rates to form different particle sizes. Keepability was followed by storing at room temperature for 6–8 months and measuring the formation of primary and secondary oxidation products. The shelf life was compared to that of the bulk olive oil. It was shown that the polysaccharides had the ability to inhibit lipid oxidation, probably due to their amphiphilic character (gum arabic and propylene glycol alginate) as well as their ability to induce viscosity increase. Olive oil–lemon juice emulsions were also assessed for consumer acceptance. The panellists were asked to smell the samples and rate them according to rancidity using a four-point (1 = no perception, 4 = extreme) intensity scale. The results were in accordance to those of chemical analysis. Lipid oxidation was not affected by the oil droplet size, as demonstrated by peroxide value measurements and sensory evaluation.     

Influence of emulsion droplet size on antimicrobial properties

In this study the effect of oil droplet size on antimicrobial activity was investigated. Oil-in-water emulsions were made from oil possessing antimicrobial properties (lemon myrtle oil, LMO), and oil which has no antimicrobial properties (soybean oil). The antimicrobial properties were investigated against 5 bacteria. The emulsions containing millimetre size and micron-size droplets were produced by hand-shaking and blending using a high speed blender and nanoemulsions were produced using a microfluidizer at 60 MPa. It was found that all emulsions made from LMO had the same level of antimicrobial effects against the 5 bacteria whereas all soybean oil emulsions had no antimicrobial effect. From these results, it could be concluded that the antimicrobial property of nanoemulsions result from the active ingredients in the emulsions and not from high surface tensions and cell wall diffusion activity of nano-sized droplets.     

Physicochemical Characterization of Lemongrass Essential Oil–Alginate Nanoemulsions: Effect of Ultrasound Processing Parameters

The formation of lemongrass oil (1 %?v/v) nanoemulsions in aqueous sodium alginate solution (1 %?w/v) containing Tween 80 (1 %?v/v) as nonionic surfactant was studied in terms of droplet size, electrical charge, viscosity, and whiteness index considering different ultrasonication times (0, 30, 60, 120, and 180 s) and amplitudes (30, 60, and 100 μm). The droplet size and size distribution of the emulsions decreased at increasing treatment time and amplitude. The minimum average droplet size observed in nanoemulsions was 4.31?±?0.18 nm with a narrow size distribution. The interface electrical charge of the coarse emulsion was ?18.0?±?2.9 mV, whereas in ultrasonicated nanoemulsions, it diminished up to ?55.8?±?6.4 mV when the sonication time was extended for 180 s. The viscosity of nanoemulsions also decreased at increasing treatment time and amplitude. Moreover, nanoemulsions became translucent after sonicating for 180 s at 30, 60, or 100 μm with whiteness indices of 28.61?±?0.17, 27.93?±?0.21, and 27.86?±?0.33, respectively. Therefore, it can be stated that ultrasound processing might be a feasible technology to produce highly translucent lemongrass oil–alginate nanoemulsions, with extremely small droplet sizes and high stability to be used as delivery systems of essential oils in food products. However, it is necessary to investigate the effect of ultrasound processing parameters on the antimicrobial potential of essential oils incorporated to nanoemulsions.     

Comparative study of denaturation of whey protein isolate (WPI) in convective air drying and isothermal heat treatment processes

The extent and nature of denaturation of whey protein isolate (WPI) in convective air drying environments was measured and analysed using single droplet drying. A custom-built, single droplet drying instrument was used for this purpose. Single droplets having 5 ± 0.1 μl volume (initial droplet diameter 1.5 ± 0.1 mm) containing 10% (w/v) WPI were dried at air temperatures of 45, 65 and 80 °C for 600 s at constant air velocity of 0.5 m/s. The extent and nature of denaturation of WPI in isothermal heat treatment processes was measured at 65 and 80 °C for 600 s and compared with those obtained from convective air drying. The extent of denaturation of WPI in a high hydrostatic pressure environment (600 MPa for 600 s) was also determined. The results showed that at the end of 600 s of convective drying at 65 °C the denaturation of WPI was 68.3%, while it was only 10.8% during isothermal heat treatment at the same medium temperature. When the medium temperature was maintained at 80 °C, the denaturation loss of WPI was 90.0% and 68.7% during isothermal heat treatment and convective drying, respectively. The bovine serum albumin (BSA) fraction of WPI was found to be more stable in the convective drying conditions than β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin, especially at longer drying times. The extent of denaturation of WPI in convective air drying (65 and 80 °C) and isotheral heat treatment (80 °C) for 600 s was found to be higher than its denaturation in a high hydrostatic pressure environment at ambient temperature (600 MPa for 600 s).