Iron-catalyzed lipid oxidation in emulsion as affected by surfactant, pH and NaCl

Corn oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Brij 35 or dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) were prepared to determine the influence of surface charge on iron-catalyzed lipid oxidation. Oxidation was measured using lipid peroxides, conjugated dienes, and thiobarbituric reactive substances. At pH 6.5, initial oxidation rates were in the order of SDS > Brij > DTAB. As pH was decreased from 8 to 3, oxidation of SDS-stabilized emulsions increased, while oxidation of Brij and DTAB emulsions were unaffected. NaCl (1.0%) decreased oxidation of the SDS-stabilized emulsion by 20% but had minimal influence on oxidation of Brij and DTAB emulsions. These results indicate that the surface charge of emulsion droplets plays an important role in their oxidative stability. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.