Abstract:The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of lactoferrin-polyphenol conjugates on the stability of β-carotene emulsions. Conjugates of lactoferrin with polyphenol ((-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate(EGCG), chlorogenic acid and gallic acid) were achieved by a free radical grafting procedure. The hydrophilic/hydrophobic characteristics of latoferrin and lactoferrin-polyphenol conjugates were studied by reverse-phase HPLC. Lactoferrin-polyphenol conjugates were used as emulsifiers to prepare β-carotene emulsions, and the stability of β-carotene emulsions was characterized by transmission profiles through using novel centrifugal sedimentation and β-carotene degradation in the emulsion during storage. The results implied that hydrophilicity of lactoferrin was increased after modified by polyphenol; compared with those stabilized by lactoferrin alone, the emulsions stabilized by lactoferrin-polyphenol conjugates were able to improve the stability of β-carotene emulsions and inhibit the deterioration of β-carotene in oil-in-water emulsions, and lactoferrin-chlorogenic acid conjugate was the best emulsifier among the lactoferrin-EGCG, lactoferrin-chlorogenic acid and lactoferrin-gallic acid conjugates.