Clove Essential Oil Pickering Emulsions Stabilized with Lactoferrin/Fucoidan Complexes: Stability and Rheological Properties

Although studies have shown that lactoferrin (LF) and fucoidan (FD) can be used to stabilize Pickering emulsions, there have been no studies on the stabilization of Pickering emulsions via the use of LF–FD complexes. In this study, different LF–FD complexes were obtained by adjusting the pH and heating the LF and FD mixture while using different mass ratios, and the properties of the LF–FD complexes were investigated. The results showed that the optimal conditions for preparing the LF–FD complexes were a mass ratio of 1:1 (LF to FD) and a pH of 3.2. Under these conditions, the LF–FD complexes not only had a uniform particle size of 133.27 ± 1.45 nm but also had good thermal stability (the thermal denaturation temperature was 110.3 °C) and wettability (the air-water contact angle was 63.9 ± 1.90°). The concentration of the LF–FD complexes and the ratio of the oil phase influenced the stability and rheological properties of the Pickering emulsion such that both can be adjusted to prepare a Pickering emulsion with good performance. This indicates that LF–FD complexes represent promising applications for Pickering emulsions with adjustable properties.