A new ultra high-pressure homogenizer STANSTED, UK. going up to 350 MPa, was used to realize very fine oil-in-water
emulsions. The effect of homogenizing pressure from 20 to 300 MPa. was studied on model emulsions stabilized by whey
proteins. Oil droplet size distributions were measured by laser-light scattering. Rheological properties were characterized with a
coaxial cylinder rheometer. The results showed significant modifications in the structure and the texture of emulsions with
increasing pressure. Ultra high-pressure homogenizing conditions brought about the high oil content emulsions )40% w.w.b.
from shear-thinning behaviors at 20 MPa. to Newtonian behaviors at 300 MPa.. Droplet size was reduced with increasing
pressure. However, the flow curves could not be fully explained by the droplet size distributions. Q 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All
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