Polyphenol Loaded W 1 /O/W 2 Emulsions Stabilized with Lesser Mealworm ( Alphitobius diaperinus ) Protein Concentrate Produced by Membrane Emulsification: Stability under Simulated Storage, Process, and Digestion Conditions.

Water-in-oil-in-water (W 1 /O/W 2 ) emulsions are complex delivery systems for polyphenols amongst other bio-actives. To stabilize the oil-water interphase, dairy proteins are commonly employed, which are ideally replaced by other, more sustainable sources, such as insect proteins. In this study, lesser mealworm ( Alphitobius diaperinus ) protein concentrate (LMPC) is assessed and compared to whey protein (WPI) and pea protein (PPI), to stabilize W 1 /O/W 2 emulsions and encapsulate a commercial polyphenol. The results show that LMPC is able to stabilize W 1 /O/W 2 emulsions comparably to whey protein and pea protein when using a low-energy membrane emulsification system. The final droplet size (d 4,3 ) is 7.4 μm and encapsulation efficiency is between 72 and 74%, regardless of the protein used. Under acidic conditions, the LMPC shows a similar performance to whey protein and outperforms pea protein. Under alkaline conditions, the three proteins perform similarly, while the LMPC-stabilized emulsions are less able to withstand osmotic pressure differences. The LMPC stabilized emulsions are also more prone to droplet coalescence after a freeze-thaw cycle than the WPI-stabilized ones, but they are the most stable when exposed to the highest temperatures tested (90 °C). The results show LMPC's ability to stabilize multiple emulsions and encapsulate a polyphenol, which opens the door for application in foods.