Oleofoams and whipped emulsions: Formation, characterization, and future role in the food industry

Background

Oleofoams are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to provide unique textures, structures, and appearances to food. In particular, several foamed systems contain considerable amounts of saturated fats (SFA), which have been linked to deleterious effects to the human body. For this reason, oleofoams and whipped emulsions have attracted a lot of attention recently due to their ability to reduce SFA and the overall calories.

Scope and approach

This review aims to summarize recent findings on oleofoams and whipped emulsions. The advantages of these two systems were introduced, along with their possible food applications. The impact of the type of gelator/emulsifier used on the final properties of the foam was evaluated, and different strategies to stabilize or destabilize these systems were presented. Lastly, the impact of processing parameters on the foam performance were discussed, and whipped emulsions and oleofoams were compared throughout the whole manuscript to highlight their differences and similarities.

Key findings and conclusions

One or the combination of multiple emulsifiers can be used to stabilize oleofoams and whipped emulsions which is obtained by Pickering stabilization, bulk stabilization, or partial coalescence. Processing parameters are crucial for tuning the overrun and textural properties oleofoams, and several analytical techniques have been proved to be useful to have an insight into the performance, stability, and structure of the final product. Currently, the study of oleofoams and whipped emulsions is at its fundamental stage, and therefore it is necessary to study the effect of these systems on food applications and to understand their acceptance by consumers.