Potential of bagasse obtained using hydrothermal liquefaction pre‐treatment as a natural emulsifier

Summary Bagasse, a by‐product from raw sugar factories, is conventionally burned for energy production. In this study, bagasse extracts from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) treatment (160 °C, 1 MPa and 30 min) with a carbohydrate content of 510.3 mg g−1 and 0.5 mg g−1 of total phenols were applied as emulsifiers in oil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsions. Bagasse extracts from HTL (0.5–4 wt%) lowered the interfacial tension between oil–water interphase from 19.8 to 14.0 mN m−1, owing possibly to the surface‐active hydrophilic carbohydrate‐hydrophobic lignin complexes in the extracts (lignin content: 7.1% w/w). Emulsions stabilised by bagasse extracts from HTL with average droplet size, dav of 0.79 μm were comparable with gum arabic (GA), dav of 2.24 μm after 11 days at 25 °C. Bagasse extracts containing biopolymers have the potential for industrial applications involving emulsion systems; therefore, HTL treatment of bagasse without any solvents can be regarded as an effective tool for producing natural emulsifiers. Bagasse extracts from Hydrothermal liquefaction treatment (HTL) containing biopolymers lowered the interfacial tension between oil‐water interface and stabilised the emulsions. As natural emulsifiers it has the potential for industrial applications involving emulsion systems.