Pub Date : 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112459
Lily M.A. Santos O’Keefe , Yash Mali , John M. Frostad
Using a Particle Cohort Study (ParCS) apparatus, the swelling kinetics of individual granules for sweet potato, corn, tapioca, and A-type wheat starches were investigated in water, glucose, and sucrose solutions. Building on previous work that introduced an empirical swelling function for four pulse starches, and previous modeling efforts, we extended the analysis to a broader range of starch types and solute environments to explore gelatinization at the single-granule level. For the first time, we found that while the swelling curves can be collapsed onto a master curve with only four model parameters (as shown previously) the shape of the resulting master curves are starch-type dependent and insensitive to these solution conditions. We further showed that swelling rate and intra-sample variability to be intrinsic to starch type and also insensitive to these solution conditions. Also for the first time, we made measurements of the diffusion of water into individual starch granules and found it to be three orders of magnitude lower than what was assumed in previous modeling. Finally, we showed that a previously proposed prediction of the correlation between swelling time and swelling ratio is not born out by our data. Altogether, these insights provide a major advance in our understanding of starch behavior in complex environments, and provide a foundation for improved predictive models in food processing where control over gelatinization is essential.
{"title":"A particle cohort study (ParCS) of the impact of glucose and sucrose solutions on the kinetics of starch gelatinization","authors":"Lily M.A. Santos O’Keefe , Yash Mali , John M. Frostad","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112459","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112459","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Using a Particle Cohort Study (ParCS) apparatus, the swelling kinetics of individual granules for sweet potato, corn, tapioca, and A-type wheat starches were investigated in water, glucose, and sucrose solutions. Building on previous work that introduced an empirical swelling function for four pulse starches, and previous modeling efforts, we extended the analysis to a broader range of starch types and solute environments to explore gelatinization at the single-granule level. For the first time, we found that while the swelling curves can be collapsed onto a master curve with only four model parameters (as shown previously) the shape of the resulting master curves are starch-type dependent and insensitive to these solution conditions. We further showed that swelling rate and intra-sample variability to be intrinsic to starch type and also insensitive to these solution conditions. Also for the first time, we made measurements of the diffusion of water into individual starch granules and found it to be three orders of magnitude lower than what was assumed in previous modeling. Finally, we showed that a previously proposed prediction of the correlation between swelling time and swelling ratio is not born out by our data. Altogether, these insights provide a major advance in our understanding of starch behavior in complex environments, and provide a foundation for improved predictive models in food processing where control over gelatinization is essential.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112459"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The quality and sensory attributes of meat products are mainly determined by myofibrillar protein (MP). However, MP gels undergo textural deterioration during high-temperature heating. In order to address this issue, the effects of dextran (DX) combined with three different polyphenols including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), catechin (C), and gallic acid (GA) on the gel properties, aggregation behavior, and molecular conformation of MP induced by high-temperature treatment at 95 °C were investigated. Specifically, both individual and synergistic treatments with DX and polyphenols significantly enhanced the water-holding capacity, gel strength and thermal stability of MP gels (P < 0.05), with the DX-GA combination showing the optimal effect. Dynamic rheology revealed that DX and polyphenols increased the storage modulus (G′). Then, the microstructural observations further confirmed that the treatment with DX and polyphenols promoted the development of more ordered and stable networks. Secondary structure analysis demonstrated that the conformation of MP shifted from α-helix to β-sheet. Meanwhile, tertiary and quaternary structure analyses collectively indicated that DX and polyphenols could enhance gel properties by regulating hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions, as well as inhibiting the excessive formation of disulfide bonds. These findings were primarily attributed to the filling effect of DX, the covalent cross-linking by polyphenols, and the intermolecular non-covalent interactions. Futhermore, the results of the correlation assessment and principal component analysis (PCA) further corroborated this finding. Overall, the present study provides an effective approach for inhibiting texture deterioration in high-temperature meat products, and offers theoretical insights for developing novel gel-based meat products.
{"title":"Elucidating the synergistic mechanism of dextran and polyphenols in modulating thermal aggregation behavior and gel properties of myofibrillar protein induced by high temperature","authors":"Xiaoming Zhang, Jingyi Sun, Yujuan Xu, Cong Li, Hui Zhou, Baocai Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112423","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112423","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The quality and sensory attributes of meat products are mainly determined by myofibrillar protein (MP). However, MP gels undergo textural deterioration during high-temperature heating. In order to address this issue, the effects of dextran (DX) combined with three different polyphenols including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), catechin (C), and gallic acid (GA) on the gel properties, aggregation behavior, and molecular conformation of MP induced by high-temperature treatment at 95 °C were investigated. Specifically, both individual and synergistic treatments with DX and polyphenols significantly enhanced the water-holding capacity, gel strength and thermal stability of MP gels (<em>P</em> < 0.05), with the DX-GA combination showing the optimal effect. Dynamic rheology revealed that DX and polyphenols increased the storage modulus (G′). Then, the microstructural observations further confirmed that the treatment with DX and polyphenols promoted the development of more ordered and stable networks. Secondary structure analysis demonstrated that the conformation of MP shifted from α-helix to β-sheet. Meanwhile, tertiary and quaternary structure analyses collectively indicated that DX and polyphenols could enhance gel properties by regulating hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions, as well as inhibiting the excessive formation of disulfide bonds. These findings were primarily attributed to the filling effect of DX, the covalent cross-linking by polyphenols, and the intermolecular non-covalent interactions. Futhermore, the results of the correlation assessment and principal component analysis (PCA) further corroborated this finding. Overall, the present study provides an effective approach for inhibiting texture deterioration in high-temperature meat products, and offers theoretical insights for developing novel gel-based meat products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112423"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146036012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-15DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112448
Dries Croonen, Esther De Groof, Charlotte F. De Schepper, Steven J. Simmonds, An Bautil, Kristof Brijs, Christophe M. Courtin
A wide variety of yeast-derived products rich in cell wall polysaccharides is currently available for use in food, feed, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. While these products are typically made from a dedicated yeast source, interest is growing in producing them from industrial spent yeast. To facilitate this transition, the present study investigates the variability in cell wall composition and associated properties among 32 industrial spent yeast samples originating from the brewing and winemaking industries, spanning a wide range of beer and wine styles. Across this sample set, β-glucan and mannoprotein contents vary between 6.6 % and 18.2 %, and between 6.1 % and 22.7 %, respectively. Significant variation was also observed in storage carbohydrate and protein contents. This compositional variability was found to impact other cell wall-related surface properties, including surface charge, hydrophobicity, and the amount of cell wall-adsorbed polyphenols, which could reach up to 3.7 % (gallic acid equivalent) of the cell dry matter. Based on these properties, spent yeast samples originating from wine production were clearly differentiated from those derived from dry-hopped and non-dry-hopped beers. Overall, these results highlight the importance of yeast stream selection for the efficient production of yeast derivatives. In particular, winery spent yeast samples appear to be more suitable for the production of yeast cell wall isolates due to their higher cell wall polysaccharide content and lower reserve carbohydrate content. However, this hypothesis should be verified using different methods of producing such isolates.
{"title":"Understanding the variability in cell wall composition and related properties of industrial spent yeasts from brewing and winemaking","authors":"Dries Croonen, Esther De Groof, Charlotte F. De Schepper, Steven J. Simmonds, An Bautil, Kristof Brijs, Christophe M. Courtin","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112448","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112448","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A wide variety of yeast-derived products rich in cell wall polysaccharides is currently available for use in food, feed, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. While these products are typically made from a dedicated yeast source, interest is growing in producing them from industrial spent yeast. To facilitate this transition, the present study investigates the variability in cell wall composition and associated properties among 32 industrial spent yeast samples originating from the brewing and winemaking industries, spanning a wide range of beer and wine styles. Across this sample set, β-glucan and mannoprotein contents vary between 6.6 % and 18.2 %, and between 6.1 % and 22.7 %, respectively. Significant variation was also observed in storage carbohydrate and protein contents. This compositional variability was found to impact other cell wall-related surface properties, including surface charge, hydrophobicity, and the amount of cell wall-adsorbed polyphenols, which could reach up to 3.7 % (gallic acid equivalent) of the cell dry matter. Based on these properties, spent yeast samples originating from wine production were clearly differentiated from those derived from dry-hopped and non-dry-hopped beers. Overall, these results highlight the importance of yeast stream selection for the efficient production of yeast derivatives. In particular, winery spent yeast samples appear to be more suitable for the production of yeast cell wall isolates due to their higher cell wall polysaccharide content and lower reserve carbohydrate content. However, this hypothesis should be verified using different methods of producing such isolates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112448"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-15DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112443
Naiqun Zhao , Yongjie Sun , Mingjie Hu , Nan Zhang , Ting Li , Liankui Wen , Xinyao Liu , Zhitong Wang
This study addresses challenges in the oral administration of malvidin (MV), such as gastric instability and insufficient intestinal release, by proposing a novel delivery strategy based on a pectin-MV composite hydrogel. This strategy employs high-pressure hydrostatic processing (HHP) technology to engineer the composite hydrogel. Systematic comparison of three components from ‘Beibinghong’ grape pectin-water-soluble pectin (WSP), homogalacturonan (HG), and Rhamnogalacturonan I (RGI)-revealed that RGI pectin, featuring a “hairy region” structure, forms the most stable three-dimensional network with MV under high-pressure hydrostatic treatment. The key mechanism lies in HHP facilitating the unfolding and directed alignment of RGI flexible branched structure, thereby enhancing hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions with microcapsules to achieve more efficient and stable molecular encapsulation. This RGI-MV hydrogel exhibits excellent mechanical properties and colloidal stability, demonstrating intelligent drug release behaviour in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of the released MV remains fully preserved. This study elucidates the mechanism by which ‘Beibinghong’ grape pectin synergistically constructs a high-efficiency oral delivery system through high-pressure water treatment, providing innovative insights and methodologies for enhancing the bioavailability of polyphenolic active components.
{"title":"High hydrostatic pressure-assisted construction of endogenous pectin hydrogels from‘Beibinghong'grapes: A novel system enhancing malvidin stability and delivery efficiency","authors":"Naiqun Zhao , Yongjie Sun , Mingjie Hu , Nan Zhang , Ting Li , Liankui Wen , Xinyao Liu , Zhitong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112443","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112443","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study addresses challenges in the oral administration of malvidin (MV), such as gastric instability and insufficient intestinal release, by proposing a novel delivery strategy based on a pectin-MV composite hydrogel. This strategy employs high-pressure hydrostatic processing (HHP) technology to engineer the composite hydrogel. Systematic comparison of three components from ‘Beibinghong’ grape pectin-water-soluble pectin (WSP), homogalacturonan (HG), and Rhamnogalacturonan I (RGI)-revealed that RGI pectin, featuring a “hairy region” structure, forms the most stable three-dimensional network with MV under high-pressure hydrostatic treatment. The key mechanism lies in HHP facilitating the unfolding and directed alignment of RGI flexible branched structure, thereby enhancing hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions with microcapsules to achieve more efficient and stable molecular encapsulation. This RGI-MV hydrogel exhibits excellent mechanical properties and colloidal stability, demonstrating intelligent drug release behaviour in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of the released MV remains fully preserved. This study elucidates the mechanism by which ‘Beibinghong’ grape pectin synergistically constructs a high-efficiency oral delivery system through high-pressure water treatment, providing innovative insights and methodologies for enhancing the bioavailability of polyphenolic active components.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112443"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112437
Junquan Zheng , Daobang Tang , Xueming Liu , Xuping Wang , Yaosheng Lin , Mingjun Zhu , Jingrong Cheng
Astaxanthin (AST) suffers from poor water solubility, low stability, and limited oral bioavailability, which restrict its practical application. To address these issues, this study developed a whey protein fibril-sodium alginate (WPF/SA) stabilized Pickering emulsion for the co-delivery of AST and piperine (Pip), the latter being a natural bioenhancer known to improve intestinal absorption by inhibiting drug-metabolizing enzymes and efflux transporters. The interaction mechanisms among WPF, SA, and Pip, the emulsion's environmental stability, and the bioavailability-enhancing effect were systematically investigated using molecular docking, spectroscopic analysis, emulsion characterization, and a Caco-2 cell model. Results indicated that Pip binds to WPF via hydrophobic interactions, while SA associates through electrostatic forces at pH 5.0. These interactions led to a reduction in β-sheet content from 28.73 % to 23.58 % and an increase in random coil from 23.18 % to 28.88 %. The SA incorporation significantly improved emulsion stability, raising the absolute zeta potential from +9 mV to −38.5 mV and enhancing rheological properties. Compared to the SA-free system, the W(P)/SA (1:2)-E increased AST retention by 0.85-fold after 90 °C heating and by 1.26-fold after UV irradiation. In Caco-2 cells, Pip was shown to significantly enhance the cellular uptake of AST. The highest uptake level (65.79 ng/μg protein) was observed at a W(P) to SA ratio of 1:2, representing a 1.28-fold increase over the WPF-stabilized emulsion, and indicating a clear synergistic effect between Pip and SA. This study offers an effective strategy for enhancing both the stability and bioavailability of AST, supporting its potential application in functional foods and nutraceuticals.
{"title":"Molecular insights into whey protein fibril-sodium alginate-piperine complexes for stabilizing astaxanthin emulsions with improved bioaccessibility","authors":"Junquan Zheng , Daobang Tang , Xueming Liu , Xuping Wang , Yaosheng Lin , Mingjun Zhu , Jingrong Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112437","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112437","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Astaxanthin (AST) suffers from poor water solubility, low stability, and limited oral bioavailability, which restrict its practical application. To address these issues, this study developed a whey protein fibril-sodium alginate (WPF/SA) stabilized Pickering emulsion for the co-delivery of AST and piperine (Pip), the latter being a natural bioenhancer known to improve intestinal absorption by inhibiting drug-metabolizing enzymes and efflux transporters. The interaction mechanisms among WPF, SA, and Pip, the emulsion's environmental stability, and the bioavailability-enhancing effect were systematically investigated using molecular docking, spectroscopic analysis, emulsion characterization, and a Caco-2 cell model. Results indicated that Pip binds to WPF via hydrophobic interactions, while SA associates through electrostatic forces at pH 5.0. These interactions led to a reduction in β-sheet content from 28.73 % to 23.58 % and an increase in random coil from 23.18 % to 28.88 %. The SA incorporation significantly improved emulsion stability, raising the absolute zeta potential from +9 mV to −38.5 mV and enhancing rheological properties. Compared to the SA-free system, the W(P)/SA (1:2)-E increased AST retention by 0.85-fold after 90 °C heating and by 1.26-fold after UV irradiation. In Caco-2 cells, Pip was shown to significantly enhance the cellular uptake of AST. The highest uptake level (65.79 ng/μg protein) was observed at a W(P) to SA ratio of 1:2, representing a 1.28-fold increase over the WPF-stabilized emulsion, and indicating a clear synergistic effect between Pip and SA. This study offers an effective strategy for enhancing both the stability and bioavailability of AST, supporting its potential application in functional foods and nutraceuticals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112437"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112456
Rodolfo Peña-Chávez , Dieyckson O. Freire , Mark Nicosia , Richard W. Hartel , Catriona M. Steele , Timothy McCulloch , Michelle Ciucci , Nicole Rogus-Pulia
Thickened liquids are often recommended for people with swallowing dysfunction (dysphagia). During instrumental swallowing assessment, barium sulfate and saline are added to these liquids for radiopacity and signal conductivity. Although assumed to mimic everyday nutritional beverages, the addition of such agents may change their rheology, challenging this assumption. This study aimed to determine the effect of barium sulfate, thickener type, and saline on the rheological properties of liquids used for instrumental swallowing assessment.
Liquids were prepared with combinations of barium sulfate, thickeners, and saline. Shear viscosity, extensional viscosity, yield stress, and surface tension were measured. Optical light microscopy was used to analyze the internal structure of all liquids. A 23 factorial design was developed, and statistical analyses included multivariate linear regression, three-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficients.
Shear viscosity at 50 s−1 increased when barium and starch thickener were present. Extensional viscosity increased when the combination of barium, starch, and saline was present. All added ingredients affected the breakup time. Yield stress and surface tension both decreased when the combination of barium and saline was present. Shear viscosity correlated negatively with extensional viscosity and surface tension, while extensional viscosity and breakup time were positively correlated with yield stress.
In conclusion, barium sulfate and thickener type modified all rheological parameters. While barium is mandatory for videofluoroscopy, the flow properties of thickened liquids may be affected, thereby influencing the validity of findings obtained during videofluoroscopy. Future work will examine how changes in these rheological parameters influence swallowing function in adults.
{"title":"Effect of barium sulfate, thickener type, and saline solution on the rheological properties of liquids used for instrumental swallowing assessment","authors":"Rodolfo Peña-Chávez , Dieyckson O. Freire , Mark Nicosia , Richard W. Hartel , Catriona M. Steele , Timothy McCulloch , Michelle Ciucci , Nicole Rogus-Pulia","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112456","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112456","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thickened liquids are often recommended for people with swallowing dysfunction (dysphagia). During instrumental swallowing assessment, barium sulfate and saline are added to these liquids for radiopacity and signal conductivity. Although assumed to mimic everyday nutritional beverages, the addition of such agents may change their rheology, challenging this assumption. This study aimed to determine the effect of barium sulfate, thickener type, and saline on the rheological properties of liquids used for instrumental swallowing assessment.</div><div>Liquids were prepared with combinations of barium sulfate, thickeners, and saline. Shear viscosity, extensional viscosity, yield stress, and surface tension were measured. Optical light microscopy was used to analyze the internal structure of all liquids. A 2<sup>3</sup> factorial design was developed, and statistical analyses included multivariate linear regression, three-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficients.</div><div>Shear viscosity at 50 s<sup>−1</sup> increased when barium and starch thickener were present. Extensional viscosity increased when the combination of barium, starch, and saline was present. All added ingredients affected the breakup time. Yield stress and surface tension both decreased when the combination of barium and saline was present. Shear viscosity correlated negatively with extensional viscosity and surface tension, while extensional viscosity and breakup time were positively correlated with yield stress.</div><div>In conclusion, barium sulfate and thickener type modified all rheological parameters. While barium is mandatory for videofluoroscopy, the flow properties of thickened liquids may be affected, thereby influencing the validity of findings obtained during videofluoroscopy. Future work will examine how changes in these rheological parameters influence swallowing function in adults.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112456"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112446
Ge Qiao , Xiao-Wei Chen , Xiao-Yang Luo , Lin-Shang Zhang , Xiao Liu
Driven by growing consumer demand for health and environmental sustainability, the development of nutritionally superior plant-based fat analogs has become a key focus in both research and the food industry. Herein, structuring of edible liquid oil into switchable thermo-triggered soy protein (SPI) soft emulsion gels for 3D-printable fat substitute in plant-based meat patties was investigated. Self-supporting SPI soft emulsion gels were successfully prepared with carrageenan (CG) via a one-pot, heat-induced crosslinking approach. Subsequently, the soft emulsion gels were further fabricated by spatially distributing the SPI-CG complex around dispersed oil droplets, forming a network within the continuous phase. Fourier-transform spectroscopy and microstructural observations revealed that protein cross-linking intensified, leading to the formation of a denser gel network as the CG concentration increased to 0.8 %. Rheologically, the emulsion gels exhibited interesting thermos-reversibility and 3D-printability with over 90 % printing accuracy. As fat substitutes in plant-based patties, the emulsion gels effectively mitigated the undesirable brittleness of liquid oils, imparting a cohesive and elastic texture, and reduced cooking loss to approximately 10 %. Moreover, the increased CG content in the SPI-CG emulsion gels significantly increased the hardness and chewiness of plant-based meat patties. These results confirm that the thermo-responsive soy protein soft emulsion gels are suitable for replacing saturated fat in plant meat products.
{"title":"Switchable thermo-triggered and 3D-printable soy protein soft emulsion gels as fat analogs for plant-based meat","authors":"Ge Qiao , Xiao-Wei Chen , Xiao-Yang Luo , Lin-Shang Zhang , Xiao Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112446","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112446","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Driven by growing consumer demand for health and environmental sustainability, the development of nutritionally superior plant-based fat analogs has become a key focus in both research and the food industry. Herein, structuring of edible liquid oil into switchable thermo-triggered soy protein (SPI) soft emulsion gels for 3D-printable fat substitute in plant-based meat patties was investigated. Self-supporting SPI soft emulsion gels were successfully prepared with carrageenan (CG) via a one-pot, heat-induced crosslinking approach. Subsequently, the soft emulsion gels were further fabricated by spatially distributing the SPI-CG complex around dispersed oil droplets, forming a network within the continuous phase. Fourier-transform spectroscopy and microstructural observations revealed that protein cross-linking intensified, leading to the formation of a denser gel network as the CG concentration increased to 0.8 %. Rheologically, the emulsion gels exhibited interesting thermos-reversibility and 3D-printability with over 90 % printing accuracy. As fat substitutes in plant-based patties, the emulsion gels effectively mitigated the undesirable brittleness of liquid oils, imparting a cohesive and elastic texture, and reduced cooking loss to approximately 10 %. Moreover, the increased CG content in the SPI-CG emulsion gels significantly increased the hardness and chewiness of plant-based meat patties. These results confirm that the thermo-responsive soy protein soft emulsion gels are suitable for replacing saturated fat in plant meat products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112446"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145975759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112453
Sakhi Ghelichi , David Julian McClements , Adane Tilahun Getachew , Ann-Dorit Moltke Sørensen , Charlotte Jacobsen
Oil-in-water emulsions are widely employed as delivery systems for bioactive compounds in food and medical applications. However, their practical utility is often limited by susceptibility to physical and chemical degradation during processing and storage. To address these challenges, the functional properties of protein-based emulsifiers can be enhanced through complexation (non-covalent interactions) or conjugation (covalent binding of proteins to polysaccharides or polyphenols, including adducts formed in Maillard-type reactions) with polysaccharides or polyphenols. These strategies have shown promise in improving emulsion stability, environmental stress tolerance, and bioactivity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the development of protein-polysaccharide and protein-polyphenol complexes and conjugates, with a focus on their application in improving the stability of oil-in-water emulsions. Key topics include the mechanisms and methods of complexation and conjugation, techniques for their physicochemical and structural characterization, and their functional performance under varying conditions such as pH, ionic strength, temperature, freeze-thaw cycles, dehydration, oxidative stress, and gastrointestinal environments. The potential applications of these systems in the food industry are also highlighted, along with current challenges and future research directions.
{"title":"Design of multi-functional protein-based emulsifiers by conjugation and complexation for improved performance","authors":"Sakhi Ghelichi , David Julian McClements , Adane Tilahun Getachew , Ann-Dorit Moltke Sørensen , Charlotte Jacobsen","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112453","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112453","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Oil-in-water emulsions are widely employed as delivery systems for bioactive compounds in food and medical applications. However, their practical utility is often limited by susceptibility to physical and chemical degradation during processing and storage. To address these challenges, the functional properties of protein-based emulsifiers can be enhanced through complexation (non-covalent interactions) or conjugation (covalent binding of proteins to polysaccharides or polyphenols, including adducts formed in Maillard-type reactions) with polysaccharides or polyphenols. These strategies have shown promise in improving emulsion stability, environmental stress tolerance, and bioactivity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the development of protein-polysaccharide and protein-polyphenol complexes and conjugates, with a focus on their application in improving the stability of oil-in-water emulsions. Key topics include the mechanisms and methods of complexation and conjugation, techniques for their physicochemical and structural characterization, and their functional performance under varying conditions such as pH, ionic strength, temperature, freeze-thaw cycles, dehydration, oxidative stress, and gastrointestinal environments. The potential applications of these systems in the food industry are also highlighted, along with current challenges and future research directions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112453"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145975758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112440
Ting Zhang, Yinuo Jin, Yulu Li, Jiaxiao Zhai, Jie Wei, Yutong Zhang, Zhaohui Yan, Jingbo Liu, Xuanting Liu
Ovotransferrin (OVT) and lysozyme (LYS) in egg white proteins are able to undergo complex coacervation due to their opposite charges, which plays an important role in foam formation and stability. In this study, the structural changes in the interaction between OVT and LYS under three pH conditions (pH 4, 7, and 10) were reported, and the interrelationships among structure-interfacial behavior-foam properties were further analyzed. Results showed that the complex coacervation between OVT and LYS was affected by both electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding. The complexes formed at pH 10 exhibited maximum turbidity and a zeta potential close to zero, with a tendency to coalesce and partial masking of functional groups. Meanwhile, numerous spherical complexes representing coacervate droplets and irregularly gel-like crosslinked particles were observed via optical and scanning electron microscopy. Results of molecular flexibility indicated that complexes formed at pH 7 and pH 10 exhibited relatively more flexible structures. Foam properties were measured using a dynamic foam analyzer, revealing that complexes formed at pH 7 and pH 10 displayed optimal foaming capacity and stability, respectively. Furthermore, interfacial adsorption kinetics showed that the rates at which OVT-LYS underwent permeation and rearrangement at the air-water interface were related to sizes. The larger size of complexes formed at pH 10 hindered interfacial adsorption. Finally, molecular dynamics simulations revealed that structures of OVT-LYS underwent complex fluctuations which significantly affected the migration of complexes at the interface. This study provided a theoretical basis for the regulation of processing properties of heteroprotein in interface-dominated food systems.
{"title":"Heteroprotein complex coacervation of ovotransferrin and lysozyme: Structural properties, interface behavior and foam properties","authors":"Ting Zhang, Yinuo Jin, Yulu Li, Jiaxiao Zhai, Jie Wei, Yutong Zhang, Zhaohui Yan, Jingbo Liu, Xuanting Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112440","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112440","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ovotransferrin (OVT) and lysozyme (LYS) in egg white proteins are able to undergo complex coacervation due to their opposite charges, which plays an important role in foam formation and stability. In this study, the structural changes in the interaction between OVT and LYS under three pH conditions (pH 4, 7, and 10) were reported, and the interrelationships among structure-interfacial behavior-foam properties were further analyzed. Results showed that the complex coacervation between OVT and LYS was affected by both electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding. The complexes formed at pH 10 exhibited maximum turbidity and a zeta potential close to zero, with a tendency to coalesce and partial masking of functional groups. Meanwhile, numerous spherical complexes representing coacervate droplets and irregularly gel-like crosslinked particles were observed via optical and scanning electron microscopy. Results of molecular flexibility indicated that complexes formed at pH 7 and pH 10 exhibited relatively more flexible structures. Foam properties were measured using a dynamic foam analyzer, revealing that complexes formed at pH 7 and pH 10 displayed optimal foaming capacity and stability, respectively. Furthermore, interfacial adsorption kinetics showed that the rates at which OVT-LYS underwent permeation and rearrangement at the air-water interface were related to sizes. The larger size of complexes formed at pH 10 hindered interfacial adsorption. Finally, molecular dynamics simulations revealed that structures of OVT-LYS underwent complex fluctuations which significantly affected the migration of complexes at the interface. This study provided a theoretical basis for the regulation of processing properties of heteroprotein in interface-dominated food systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112440"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145975804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112457
Fang Fang , Maria Franco , Pablo Gallego-Lobillo , Maria J. Spotti , Julia D. Bechtner , Mario M. Martinez
This study examined how polyphenol-cell wall interactions affect the pasting, storage behavior and digestibility of wheat starch. A controlled model system was developed using wheat starch, a bacterial cellulose analogue of the apple cell wall (aACW), and an apple pomace polyphenol extract. Blends-starch + polyphenols (S-PP), starch + aACW (S-aACW), starch + aACW + polyphenols (S-aACW-PP), and starch + polyphenol-pre-loaded aACW [S-(aACW:PP)]were subjected to simulated hydrothermal processing followed by storage and in vitro digestion using a standardized digestion model including pooled human saliva in the oral phase. Polyphenols in both starch and S-aACW lowered pH and significantly reduced granular swelling and breakdown upon heating. These reductions were mitigated when polyphenols were pre-loaded within aACW, while their aACW-entrapment had no effect on breakdown, setback (short-term retrogradation), or water mobility. During storage, polyphenol or aACW inclusion increased the enthalpy of retrograded amylopectin, an effect intensified by combining free polyphenols and aACW (S-aACW-PP) but not when polyphenols were pre-loaded within aACW [S-(aACW:PP)]. During gelation, polyphenol pre-loading into aACW introduced additional dissipative interactions to the gels that increased their structural resilience under increasing strain (i.e., stiffness) while reducing their strength to be fractured at macroscopic scale. aACW alone moderately slowed early intestinal starch digestion, likely via steric hindrance and enzyme adsorption, whereas polyphenols reduced digestibility by inhibiting α-amylase and stabilizing ordered starch structures. Notably, this effect at the end of the intestinal phase persisted only with free polyphenols, not with those pre-bound to aACW. Results highlighted the role of cell wall-polyphenol interactions in modulating starch functionality, advancing current understanding beyond pairwise interactions.
{"title":"Interactive effects of free and cell wall-bound polyphenols on starch pasting, retrogradation, gelation and digestibility","authors":"Fang Fang , Maria Franco , Pablo Gallego-Lobillo , Maria J. Spotti , Julia D. Bechtner , Mario M. Martinez","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112457","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112457","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined how polyphenol-cell wall interactions affect the pasting, storage behavior and digestibility of wheat starch. A controlled model system was developed using wheat starch, a bacterial cellulose analogue of the apple cell wall (aACW), and an apple pomace polyphenol extract. Blends-starch + polyphenols (S-PP), starch + aACW (S-aACW), starch + aACW + polyphenols (S-aACW-PP), and starch + polyphenol-pre-loaded aACW [S-(aACW:PP)]were subjected to simulated hydrothermal processing followed by storage and <em>in vitro</em> digestion using a standardized digestion model including pooled human saliva in the oral phase. Polyphenols in both starch and S-aACW lowered pH and significantly reduced granular swelling and breakdown upon heating. These reductions were mitigated when polyphenols were pre-loaded within aACW, while their aACW-entrapment had no effect on breakdown, setback (short-term retrogradation), or water mobility. During storage, polyphenol or aACW inclusion increased the enthalpy of retrograded amylopectin, an effect intensified by combining free polyphenols and aACW (S-aACW-PP) but not when polyphenols were pre-loaded within aACW [S-(aACW:PP)]. During gelation, polyphenol pre-loading into aACW introduced additional dissipative interactions to the gels that increased their structural resilience under increasing strain (i.e., stiffness) while reducing their strength to be fractured at macroscopic scale. aACW alone moderately slowed early intestinal starch digestion, likely via steric hindrance and enzyme adsorption, whereas polyphenols reduced digestibility by inhibiting α-amylase and stabilizing ordered starch structures. Notably, this effect at the end of the intestinal phase persisted only with free polyphenols, not with those pre-bound to aACW. Results highlighted the role of cell wall-polyphenol interactions in modulating starch functionality, advancing current understanding beyond pairwise interactions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112457"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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