Encapsulation of cinnamaldehyde into V-type starch derived from different sources: structural characteristics and emulsifying properties.

This study establishes a clear structure-function relationship linking starch botanical origin-indica rice (IRS), japonica rice (JRS), quinoa (QS), lentil (LS), and pea (PS)-to the formation and emulsifying performance of V-type starch/cinnamaldehyde (CA) complexes. Structural features directly dictated the ability of V-type starch to encapsulate CA, with V-QS exhibiting the highest CA loading (38.86 mg/g) due to its large specific surface area, despite relatively low amylose content. CA incorporation further modulated particle hydrophobicity and interfacial activity, enhancing contact angles and reducing interfacial tension across all complexes. The resulting structure-driven interfacial behaviors led to distinct emulsifying performances among five V-type starch/CA complexes. V-IRS/CA and V-JRS/CA, characterized by smaller particle sizes and efficient interfacial adsorption, produced emulsions with the smallest droplets (4.67 μm and 6.90 μm) and highest emulsifying activity (14.61 m2/g-1 and 13.57 m2/g-1). In contrast, V-LS/CA and V-PS/CA generated larger droplets and weaker stabilization due to limited adsorption kinetics.