A method that uses fine particles instead of surfactants to stabilize oil droplets dispersed in water is receiving increasing attention for use in cosmetics and food products, such as salad dressings.
A Japanese research team from the National Institute of Technology, Tomakomai College, as well as Fukushima University and House Foods Group Inc. has been studying this method -- known as Pickering emulsion -- by using alpha-cyclodextrin, a type of oligosaccharide, as the fine particle.
The team discovered that adding a food-grade polysaccharide thickener increases the stability and enables high functionality of Pickering emulsions.
The joint research lasted for about six years, and the results were published as a research paper last month in the journal "Food Hydrocolloids." House Foods Group is currently proceeding with the acquisition of fundamental patents and is working to apply the discovery to various fields under the trademark "CrysForm."
Mechanism of Pickering emulsion
To form emulsions, surfactants -- chemical substances that interact simultaneously with both water and oil -- are commonly used to surround oil droplets, preventing them from coalescing and eventually separating from the water. Meanwhile, a phenomenon also exists in which undissolved fine particles encapsulate oil droplets, playing a role similar to surfactants. This is called Pickering emulsion, named after S.U. Pickering, the researcher who studied it.
Alpha-cyclodextrin dissolves in water, but when oil is present, numerous fine crystals precipitate and encapsulate oil droplets, stabilizing the solution through this Pickering mechanism.
Led by Hiroyuki Kono, a professor at National Institute of Technology, Tomakomai College, and Makoto Ogata, a professor at Fukushima University, the research group added carboxymethyl cellulose $(CMC)$, a polysaccharide commonly used as a thickening agent, to analyze the resulting changes. Kono specializes in polymer chemistry, while Ogata is an expert in agricultural chemistry.
The results revealed that CMC adsorbs onto the outer surface of the alpha-cyclodextrin crystals that encapsulate oil droplets, binding the crystals together. The research team also confirmed that the addition of CMC enhances the heat resistance and long-term stability of the alpha-cyclodextrin-based Pickering emulsion.
"Polysaccharides other than CMC have similar effects, so it is possible to choose them based on the application," said Muneaki Tomotake, head of House Foods Group's CrysForm Business Development Division. "Unlike surfactants, alpha-cyclodextrin crystals coat oil droplets securely, so this discovery may lead to various functional benefits. For example, when used for flavorings, the effect can last longer in the mouth," he added.
The discovery can be applied to fields outside of food, such as cosmetics. House Foods Group plans to cooperate with Mitsui Bussan Chemicals Co. to develop new markets for the discovery.
Furthermore, the research team hopes the discovery can be applied in the medical field -- specifically for drug delivery systems, which administer therapeutic medications to specific locations in the patient's body.
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This article is from The Yomiuri Shimbun. Neither Dow Jones Newswires, MarketWatch, Barron's nor The Wall Street Journal were involved in the creation of this content.
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June 29, 2026 07:37 ET (11:37 GMT)
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