FORMATION OF THE LAMELLAR STRUCTURE OF EMULSIONS BASED ON HYDROLYZED LECITHIN AND STEARATE SUCROSE

<ns0:p>Emulsion technologies play a key role in the modern food industry as a means of texturizing and encapsulating assets. Lamellar emulsions can be used in the food industry as stabilizers, texturizers and carriers of bioactive substances. The main directions are functional products with controlled release of vitamins, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics. Today, the problem of finding active emulsifying systems, in particular based on known surfactants, remains relevant. Model emulsions containing different combinations of emulsifiers were prepared and analyzed. Surface tension was measured in systems containing 2% hydrolyzed lecithin, 2% sucrose stearate, and their combination. Optical microscopy was employed to confirm the formation of lamellar structures. Observations were carried out immediately after cooling the emulsions to 22 ± 2 °C and after 24 hours of storage to evaluate self-assembly processes. The combination of hydrolyzed lecithin and sucrose stearate exhibited pronounced synergistic behavior, resulting in more efficient interfacial tension reduction compared to each emulsifier used separately. The optimal emulsifier ratio was determined as 1.00% hydrolyzed lecithin and 0.75% sucrose stearate. The emulsion with a 30% fat phase prepared on this basis demonstrated high viscosity, plastic texture, stability, and satisfactory organoleptic properties. Microscopic analysis confirmed the presence of lamellar structures formed during the cooling process. The results indicate a synergistic interaction between lecithin and sucrose stearate, leading to the formation of thermodynamically stable lamellar structures. Such emulsions exhibit strong adhesion to surfaces, which is advantageous for applications in food systems such as spreads and confectionery fillings. Due to their thermal stability, these emulsions can also be used in processing operations involving moderate heating, such as pasteurization or encapsulation of bioactives, without structural degradation.</ns0:p>