Collecting　tea　residue　mesophyll　cells　(TRMCs)　pioneers　a　novel　process　enabling　industrial-scale,　cost-effective　leaf　protein　recovery　with　high　yields,　surpassing　conventional　extraction　barriers.　However,　their　food　applications　are　constrained　by　large　particle　size　and　poor　fluidity,　leading　to　low　interfacial　adsorption　efficiency　in　emulsions.　In　this　study,　high-pressure　homogenization　(HPH)　technology,　outperforming　airflow　ultrafine　grinding　and　ultrasonic　crushing,　was　used　to　enhance　the　performance　of　TRMCs.　The　effects　of　different　intensities　of　HPH　treatment　(100–500　bar　for　1–5　min)　on　the　basic　composition,　microstructure,　physicochemical　properties,　and　functional　characteristics　of　TRMCs　were　investigated,　and　the　underlying　mechanism　of　their　emulsification　improvement　was　analyzed.　The　results　showed　that　HPH　treatment　only　slightly　affected　basic　components　(such　as　protein　and　total　sugar)　and　the　color　of　TRMCs　but　significantly　reduced　the　particle　size　(D(3,2)　as　low　as　5.1　μm).　The　treatment　also　eliminated　the　aggregation　and　improved　the　dispersion　stability　by　enhancing　electrostatic　repulsion.　In　addition,　HPH　treatment　balanced　surface　hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity　(contact　angle　increased　from　46.6°　to　69.2°),　exposing　hydrophobic　domains　and　more　protein　and　polysaccharide　structures,　increased　the　emulsification　activity　index　by　1.3　times,　and　decreased　creaming　index　by　1.7　times.　Unlike　traditional　Pickering　emulsion　stabilizers　requiring　chemical　modification　or　multi-step　assembly,　HPH-treated　TRMCs　achieved　superior　emulsification　through　synergistic　physical　fragmentation　and　chemical　group　exposure,　maintaining　natural　biocompatibility.　©　2025