Construction and Characterization of Emulsions Stabilized by Whey Protein Isolate-Naringin-Sodium Alginate Ternary Complex

This study constructed ternary complexes of whey protein isolate (WPI), naringin (NAR), and sodium alginate (SA) and their stabilized emulsions, and characterized their physicochemical properties. The results confirmed interactions between NAR and SA with WPI, which induced quenching of WPI intrinsic fluorescence; formation of the ternary complexes could effectively inhibit WPI flocculation near its isoelectric point. Compared with the corresponding binary complexes, the WPI-NAR-SA ternary complexes developed more stable emulsions with smaller droplet sizes and higher absolute ζ-potential values, exhibiting superior storage stability that increased with SA concentration. After storage at 4 °C for 20 days, the emulsion system exhibited a peroxide value remaining below 4.7 μg/mL; after 9 days of UV irradiation, lutein retention reached 82.49%. Both protective effects increased with rising SA concentration. This study provides a strategy for the development of a novel functional emulsion delivery system.