CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

The present work deals with the relationship between colloidal interactions and physical properties of emulsions, in particular, rheology and gel transition. Experimental data of protein stabilized oil-in-water emulsions are considered. In this system, the excess of protein in the aqueous phase yields reversible droplet aggregation by the mechanism of depletion. Thus both phase and flow behaviors can be controlled by changing protein concentration, ionic strength and temperature. Calculations of the interaction potential between droplets are carried out in the framework of colloid science. Particular emphasis is made on the role that droplet-droplet interaction plays to define the morphology of the aggregates, hence the microstructure and, finally, the bulk physical properties. This understanding offers new perspectives in the study of complex food systems.