Nanocellulose fibers as stabilizers for Pickering emulsion coatings

Nanocellulose fibers (CNFs) were isolated and characterized from pea residue, which were combined with carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) as solid stabilizers, and beeswax was used as the oil phase for the preparation of O/W Pickering emulsions. By adjusting the content of CNFs in the solid stabilizer (0–0.7 wt%), it was demonstrated that the amount of CNFs added had a significant impact on the storage stability, particle size distribution and rheological properties of the Pickering emulsions. As the concentration of CNFs increased, the stability and viscoelasticity of the emulsions gradually improved, while the droplet size decreased. The addition of more CNFs led to the formation of a denser interfacial film on the surface of the emulsion droplets and created a more extensive three-dimensional network structure in the continuous phase of the emulsion, enhancing the structural stability of the emulsion and reducing droplet aggregation and sedimentation. Furthermore, the environmental stability of the Pickering emulsions was tested by altering the pH and environmental temperature. The emulsions exhibited good environmental stability in acidic conditions (pH 2 to 6), and were able to adapt to a wide temperature range (−25 to 100 °C). Interestingly, the Pickering emulsion coating applied to the surface of strawberries was effective in delaying fruit weight loss and titratable acid (TA) decline during storage. In summary, the Pickering emulsions prepared in this study have potential application value in food preservation and packaging.