AbstractBackgroundCitrus residuals are rich in nutrients like pectin, essential oil, and amino acids, which are wasted in the food industry. Moreover, citrus components often coexist with amino acids during emulsion preparation and application.ResultsAdding glutamic or arginine after emulsification resulted in a stable emulsion compared with adding them before emulsification. Adding glycine before or after emulsification had no effect on the emulsion stability. Emulsion stability was improved by adding glutamic acid at pH 6. Ionic interaction and hydrogen bonding were the main forms of bonding. The rhamnogalacturonan II domain was the potential binding site for the amino acids.ConclusionsThe emulsions prepared by adding acidic amino acids or basic amino acids after emulsification were stable relative to those in which the amino acids were added before emulsification. However, the order in which neutral amino acids were added did not affect the emulsion stability after storage for 7 days. With an increase in the pH level, droplet size increased and emulsion stability decreased. All the results could be attributed to changes in the structure and properties of citrus pectin, as well as the interaction between citrus pectin and amino acids. This study may expand the application of citrus‐derived emulsions in the food industry. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.