Viscoelastic and Deformation Characteristics of Structurally Different Commercial Topical Systems.

Rheological characteristics and shear response have potential implication in defining the pharmaceutical equivalence, therapeutic equivalence, and perceptive equivalence of commercial topical products. Three creams (C1 and C3 as oil-in-water and C2 as water-in-oil emulsions), and two gels (G1 and G2 carbomer-based) were characterized using the dynamic range of controlled shear in steady-state flow and oscillatory modes. All products, other than C3, met the Critical Quality Attribute criteria for high zero-shear viscosity (η0) of 2.6 × 104 to 1.5 × 105 Pa∙s and yield stress (τ0) of 55 to 277 Pa. C3 exhibited a smaller linear viscoelastic region and lower η0 (2547 Pa∙s) and τ0 (2 Pa), consistent with lotion-like behavior. All dose forms showed viscoelastic solid behavior having a storage modulus (G') higher than the loss modulus (G″) in the linear viscoelastic region. However, the transition of G' > G″ to G″ > G' during the continual strain increment was more rapid for the creams, elucidating a relatively brittle deformation, whereas these transitions in gels were more prolonged, consistent with a gradual disentanglement of the polymer network. In conclusion, these analyses not only ensure quality and stability, but also enable the microstructure to be characterized as being flexible (gels) or inelastic (creams).

Influence of Emulsifiers and Dairy Ingredients on Manufacturing, Microstructure, and Physical Properties of Butter.

The influence of emulsifiers and dairy solids on churning and physical attributes of butter was investigated. Commercial dairy cream was blended with each of the ingredients (0.5%, w/w) separately, aged overnight (10 °C), and churned (10 °C) into butter. The employed additives showed a distinctive impact on the macroscopic properties of butter without largely affecting the melting behavior. In fresh butter, polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) emulsifier having dominated hydrophobic moieties significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the softness. Among dairy solids, sodium caseinate (SC) was the most effective in reducing the solid fat fraction, hardness, and elastic modulus (G'), while whey protein isolate (WPI) and whole milk powder (WMP) produced significantly harder, stiffer, and more adhesive butter texture. As per tribological analysis, PGPR, Tween 80, and SC lowered the friction-coefficient of butter, indicating an improved lubrication property of the microstructure. The extent of butter-setting during 28 days of storage (5 °C) varied among the samples, and in specific, appeared to be delayed in presence of WPI, WMP, and buttermilk solids. The findings of the study highlighted the potential of using applied emulsifiers and dairy-derived ingredients in modifying the physical functionality of butter and butter-like churned emulsions in addition to a conventional cream-ageing process.

Effect of water content, droplet size, and gelation on fat phase transition and water mobility in water-in-milk fat emulsions.

The effects of water content; 15, 30, and 40% (w/w), water droplet size; d43 15.0-19.6 µm (larger) and d43 1.2-2.7 µm (smaller), and sodium alginate (0.5%, w/w) induced water gelation on crystallization kinetics and water and fat proton relaxation were studied in water-in-milk fat emulsions during in situ cooling from 40 °C to 5 °C. Anhydrous milk fat (AMF) and commercial butter were employed as two separate fat sources. Although emulsions were crystallized faster than the bulk fat, the variations in the water fraction and droplet size did not show major influence on crystallization properties. Smaller droplet size induced significant (p < 0.05) reduction in water mobility with a minimal effect of the temperature. In AMF-based emulsions, gelation of water phase not only immobilized the water molecules but also enhanced the rate of fat crystallization. Globular fat and serum solids in butter-based emulsions showed to fasten the water proton relaxation.

Effect of fat globule size on the churnability of dairy cream.

The churnability of commercial dairy cream as a function of fat globule size from micron to nanometric range (0.17-3.50µm) was investigated. To achieve the lower fat globule size with increased interfacial area various amounts of sodium caseinate (NaCN) (0.15-4.9wt%) or Tween 80 (0.25-1wt%) were added to the cream. Under similar microfluidization and churning conditions, both fat globule size and emulsifier type had a significant influence on the churning time and proportion of fat in buttermilk. In general, churning time and buttermilk fat content were increased above 3.5min and 4.4% fat (for untreated fat globule size), respectively with decreasing average fat globule size irrespective of the type of emulsifier used. The addition of Tween 80 reduced the churning time significantly and also decreased the fat content of buttermilk as compared to NaCN added cream.