Preparation of temperature-responsive pickering emulsions for encapsulating compound essential oils and their application in fresh noodle preservation

In the present study, corn starch was modified to create temperature-responsive particles, which were employed as an emulsifier to formulate Pickering emulsions (PE) for the encapsulation of compound essential oils (CEO). The temperature responsiveness of CEOPE endows PE with the characteristics of faster release rate at lower temperature and more stability at room temperature, aligning with the typical low-temperature storage conditions of fresh noodles. The characteristics of CEOPE with different oil-water ratios were analyzed by morphology, particle size, PDI, zeta-potential, FTIR and rheological measurements. The CEOPE exhibited antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus , making it an ideal candidate for non-contact antibacterial packaging. The antibacterial effect was further confirmed in the storage experiment of fresh noodles. The results have significant implications for the development of a temperature-responsive, bacteriostatic packaging material derived from natural components, offering a novel approach to the preservation of fresh noodles.