GelsPub Date : 2025-05-30DOI: 10.3390/gels11060418
Daniel K Baines, Varvara Platania, Nikoleta N Tavernaraki, Karen Wright, Maria Chatzinikolaidou, Timothy E L Douglas
{"title":"Whey Protein Isolate Hydrogels Containing Cannabidiol Support the Proliferation of Pre-Osteoblasts.","authors":"Daniel K Baines, Varvara Platania, Nikoleta N Tavernaraki, Karen Wright, Maria Chatzinikolaidou, Timothy E L Douglas","doi":"10.3390/gels11060418","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels11060418","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bone-associated pathologies are major contributors to chronic pathology statistics. Current gold standard treatments present limitations such as the ability to act as scaffolds whilst effectively delivering medications to promote cellular proliferation. Recent advancements in biomaterials have suggested whey protein isolate (WPI) hydrogel as a potential candidate to act as a scaffold with the capacity for drug delivery for bone regeneration. In this study, we investigate whey protein isolate hydrogels enhanced with the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD). The use of CBD in WPI hydrogels for bone regeneration is original. The results suggest that CBD was successfully incorporated into the hydrogels bound potentially through hydrophobic interactions formed between hydrophobic patches of the protein and the hydrophobic cannabinoid. The incorporation of CBD into the WPI hydrogels improved the mechanical strength of the hydrogels. The Young's modulus was improved from 2700 kPa ± 117 kPa to 7100 kPa ± 97 kPa when compared to the WPI control, without plant-derived cannabinoids, to the WPI with the maximum CBD concentration. Furthermore, statistically significant differences for both Young's modulus and compressive strength were observable between the WPI control and CBD hydrogel variables. The release of CBD from the WPI hydrogels was confirmed with the results suggesting a maximum release of 20 μM over the 5-day period. Furthermore, the hydrogels supported the proliferation and synthesis of collagen and calcium, as well as the alkaline phosphatase activity of MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts, which demonstrates the potential of WPI/CBD hydrogels as a biomaterial for osseous tissue regeneration.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"11 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12191702/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GelsPub Date : 2025-05-30DOI: 10.3390/gels11060410
Rodrigo Rhinow, Margareth K K D Franco, Mont Kumpugdee Vollrath, Guinther Kellermann, Fabiano Yokaichiya
{"title":"Poloxamer-Driven Drug Delivery System for Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Using Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Approach.","authors":"Rodrigo Rhinow, Margareth K K D Franco, Mont Kumpugdee Vollrath, Guinther Kellermann, Fabiano Yokaichiya","doi":"10.3390/gels11060410","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels11060410","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Poloxamer-based drug delivery systems are widely used in the pharmaceutical sector. The structural characterization of these systems is crucial for the development of new drug delivery systems and for the optimization of their properties. In this study, we utilized small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) to investigate the structures of poloxamer-based drug delivery systems. The samples were measured using the SANS technique on the VSANS-V16 instrument at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB), Germany. The samples contained 20% poloxamer (P407) and 0.2% of a drug (ibuprofen, ketoprofen, diclofenac) in deuterated water (D<sub>2</sub>O) for SANS. The samples varied in terms of temperature analysis (25 °C, common storage temperature; 37 °C, human body temperature; 40 °C, fever temperature). The data analysis involved modeling the data using a Python-based routine. The model used consisted of an isotropic solution of polydisperse spherical micelles. The intensity as a function of the scattering vector was modeled as the product of the form factor and the interparticle structure factor, with the latter described within the local monodisperse approximation regime. Additionally, a scattering contribution was observed, which was associated with the presence of crystalline superstructures formed by micelles that organized into a cubic structure. The data analysis provided important information about the system, such as the average radius, the size distribution, and the thickness of the layer surrounding the micellar core. The results will contribute to the development and optimization of new drug delivery systems that are more effective and safer for medical applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"11 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12191499/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GelsPub Date : 2025-05-29DOI: 10.3390/gels11060406
Erika Galgoczi, Monika Katko, Sara Borbely, Istvan Orsos, Zsanett Molnar, Bernadett Ujhelyi, Zita Steiber, Endre V Nagy
{"title":"Agarose Gel Electrophoresis Reveals the Molecular Weight Distribution of Hyaluronan Produced by Orbital Fibroblasts.","authors":"Erika Galgoczi, Monika Katko, Sara Borbely, Istvan Orsos, Zsanett Molnar, Bernadett Ujhelyi, Zita Steiber, Endre V Nagy","doi":"10.3390/gels11060406","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels11060406","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Thyroid eye disease (TED) is characterized by autoimmune inflammation and structural remodelling of orbital tissues, which is a consequence of the activation of orbital fibroblasts (OFs). As a result of this activation, the production of hyaluronan (HA) and the proliferation and adipocyte differentiation of OFs are enhanced. Adipogenesis leads to additional accumulation of HA. The aim of this study was to elucidate the molecular weight distribution of HA produced by OFs under basic conditions and after adipogenic stimuli. The concentration and the molecular weight distribution of HA were examined using ELISA and agarose gel electrophoresis, respectively, in TED (n = 3) and non-TED (n = 3) OF cultures. Under adipogenic stimuli, HA production is increased in OFs. In TED OF cultures, which, unlike non-TED OFs, can differentiate into adipocytes, the enhanced proportion of high-molecular-weight (HMW) HA of more than 2000 kDa is responsible for the increased HA concentration in the culture media. In non-TED OF cultures, which contain a negligible number of differentiating cells after adipogenic stimulation, the medium-molecular-weight (MMW) HA fragments from 50 to 1000 kDa also contribute to the enhanced HA content. Increased production of HMW-HA during adipocyte differentiation of TED OFs is responsible for the elevated HA content in the culture media, which may be an important contributor to both connective tissue matrix expansion and edema in the pathogenesis of TED.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"11 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12191666/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GelsPub Date : 2025-05-29DOI: 10.3390/gels11060408
Yadong Zhao, Chengcheng Peng, Zheng Yang, Zhengjie Liu, Heng Yen Khong, Soottawat Benjakul, Bin Zhang, Ruizhi Yang
{"title":"Mechanically Strong and Flame-Retardant Cellulose-Based Aerogel Prepared via Phosphorylation-Coupled Ca<sup>2+</sup> Coordination.","authors":"Yadong Zhao, Chengcheng Peng, Zheng Yang, Zhengjie Liu, Heng Yen Khong, Soottawat Benjakul, Bin Zhang, Ruizhi Yang","doi":"10.3390/gels11060408","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels11060408","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cellulose-based aerogel is an environmentally friendly multifunctional material that is renewable, biodegradable, and easily surface-modified. However, due to its flammability, cellulose serves as an ignition source in fire incidents, leading to the combustion of building materials and resulting in significant economic losses and safety risks. Consequently, it is essential to develop cellulose-based building materials with flame-retardant properties. Initially, a porous cellulose-based flame-retardant aerogel was successfully synthesized through freeze-drying, utilizing lignocellulose as the raw material. Subsequently, phosphorylation of cellulose was coupled with Ca<sup>2+</sup> cross-linking via self-assembly and surface deposition effects to enhance its flame-retardant properties. Finally, the synthesized materials were characterized using infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, mechanical compression testing, and scanning electron microscopy. The aerogel of the phosphorylated cellulose nanofibrils cross-linked via 1.5% CaCl<sub>2</sub> exhibited the most effective flame-retardant properties and the best mechanical characteristics, achieving a UL-94 test rating of V-0 and a maximum flame-retardant rate of 90.6%. Additionally, its compressive strength and elastic modulus were recorded at 0.39 and 0.98 MPa, respectively. The preparation process is environmentally friendly, yielding products that demonstrate significant flame-retardant effects and are non-toxic. This product is anticipated to replace polymer-based commercial aerogel materials, representing a sustainable solution to the issue of \"white pollution\".</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"11 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12191589/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483919","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GelsPub Date : 2025-05-29DOI: 10.3390/gels11060407
Bo Qi, Zhaoyu Li, Chuang Pan, Yongqiang Zhao, Xiaoshan Long, Chunsheng Li, Yueqi Wang, Xiao Hu, Di Wang, Shaoling Yang
{"title":"Performance Characterization and Antibacterial Activity of a Composite Hydrogel Composed of Oxidized κ-Carrageenan, Acrylamide, and Silver-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks.","authors":"Bo Qi, Zhaoyu Li, Chuang Pan, Yongqiang Zhao, Xiaoshan Long, Chunsheng Li, Yueqi Wang, Xiao Hu, Di Wang, Shaoling Yang","doi":"10.3390/gels11060407","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels11060407","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To advance seaweed polysaccharide applications in hydrogel wound dressings, five antibacterial composite hydrogels (groups A~E) were synthesized using oxidized κ-carrageenan (OKC), acrylamide (AM), and progressively increasing concentrations of silver-based metal-organic frameworks (Ag-MOFs). Systematic characterization revealed concentration-dependent effects: (1) positive correlations were obtained for the moisture content (MC, maximized at 82.70% in E) and antibacterial efficacy (dose-dependent enhancement); (2) negative impacts were obtained for the swelling ratio (SR, E: 479% vs. A: 808%); and (3) high-dose drawbacks but low-dose benefits in terms of water resistance (WR), tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (EB), and microstructure were obtained. Group B demonstrated optimal Ag-MOFs loading, enhancing TS and EB, while excessive Ag-MOFs loading in C~E significantly degraded them (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Microstructural analysis showed severe 3D spatial damage in D~E. Furthermore, cytocompatibility assessments revealed that all groups maintained a cell viability exceeding 90%, demonstrating excellent biocompatibility. Among them, A~C showed a viability statistically equivalent to the control (<i>p</i> > 0.05) and were significantly higher than D~E (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In conclusion, group B emerged as the optimal Ag-MOFs formulation and exhibited superior WR, enhanced mechanical strength (TS and EB), and potent antibacterial activity while maintaining microstructural integrity and excellent biosafety. This Ag-MOFs/OKC/PAM hydrogel provides dual infection prevention and tissue support, maximizing seaweed polysaccharide benefits with excellent biocompatibility.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"11 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12191545/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF)-Derived Gel Electrolyte via UV Cross-Linking for High-Performance Lithium Metal Batteries.","authors":"Naiyao Mao, Lingxiao Lan, Qiankun Hun, Jianghua Wei, Xinghua Liang, Yifeng Guo","doi":"10.3390/gels11060409","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels11060409","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Gel electrolytes (GEs) play a pivotal role in the advancement of lithium metal batteries by offering high energy density and enhanced rate capability. Nevertheless, their real-world application is hampered by relatively low ionic conductivity and significant interfacial resistance at room temperatures. In this work, we developed a gel electrolyte membrane (GEM) by embedding Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) material into a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) matrix through UV curing. The composite membrane, with 4 wt% ZIF-8, exhibited an ionic conductivity of 1.17 × 10<sup>-3</sup> S/cm, an electrochemical stability window of 4.7 V, and a lithium-ion transference number of 0.7. The test results indicate that the electrochemical performance of LFP//GEM//Li battery has an initial specific capacity of 168 mAh g<sup>-1</sup> at 0.1 C rate. At 1 C, the discharge capacity was 88 mAh g<sup>-1</sup>, and at 2 C, it was 68 mAh g<sup>-1</sup>. Enhanced ionic transport, improved electrochemical stability, and optimized lithium-ion migration collectively contributed to superior rate performance and prolonged cycle life. This study offers novel insights and methodological advances for next-generation lithium metal batteries technologies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"11 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12192033/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483920","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"In Situ-Prepared Nanocomposite for Water Management in High-Temperature Reservoirs.","authors":"Hui Yang, Jian Zhang, Zhiwei Wang, Shichao Li, Qiang Wei, Yunteng He, Luyao Li, Jiachang Zhao, Caihong Xu, Zongbo Zhang","doi":"10.3390/gels11060405","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels11060405","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the field of enhanced oil recovery (EOR), particularly for water control in high-temperature reservoirs, there is a critical need for effective in-depth water shutoff and conformance control technologies. Polymer-based in situ-cross-linked gels are extensively employed for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), yet their short gelation time under high-temperature reservoir conditions (e.g., >120 °C) limits effective in-depth water shutoff and conformance control. To address this, we developed a hydrogel system via the in situ cross-linking of polyacrylamide (PAM) with phenolic resin (PR), reinforced by silica sol (SS) nanoparticles. We employed a variety of research methods, including bottle tests, viscosity and rheology measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) scanning, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements, quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) measurement, contact angle (CA) measurement, injectivity and temporary plugging performance evaluations, etc. The composite gel exhibits an exceptional gelation period of 72 h at 130 °C, surpassing conventional systems by more than 4.5 times in terms of duration. The gelation rate remains almost unchanged with the introduction of SS, due to the highly pre-dispersed silica nanoparticles that provide exceptional colloidal stability and the system's pH changing slightly throughout the gelation process. DFT and SEM results reveal that synergistic interactions between organic (PAM-PR networks) and inorganic (SS) components create a stacked hybrid network, enhancing both mechanical strength and thermal stability. A core flooding experiment demonstrates that the gel system achieves 92.4% plugging efficiency. The tailored nanocomposite allows for the precise management of gelation kinetics and microstructure formation, effectively addressing water control and enhancing the plugging effect in high-temperature reservoirs. These findings advance the mechanistic understanding of organic-inorganic hybrid gel systems and provide a framework for developing next-generation EOR technologies under extreme reservoir conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"11 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12192235/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GelsPub Date : 2025-05-28DOI: 10.3390/gels11060402
Peiji Liu, Hong Lin, Jingxue Wang
{"title":"Preparation of Polymyxin B-Functionalized Cryogels for Efficient Endotoxin Removal from Protein Solutions.","authors":"Peiji Liu, Hong Lin, Jingxue Wang","doi":"10.3390/gels11060402","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels11060402","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To address the limitations of traditional endotoxin adsorbents, which exhibit poor endotoxin removal efficiency and low sample recovery when processing high-concentration samples, a novel cryogel, CG(HEMA-co-AM), based on acrylamide (AM) and hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) as the second monomer, was successfully designed and synthesized. After optimizing the epoxidation and polymyxin B (PMB) conjugation processes, leading to the successful preparation of the functionalized cryogel CG(HEMA-co-AM)@ECH@PMB, flow-through experiments showed that in Tris-HCl buffer at a flow rate of 6 mL/min, the endotoxin removal efficiency reached 99.82%, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 1408.38 EU/mg. In a complex protein system containing BSA, HSA, Hb, LYS, and OVA (each at 10 mg/mL), the maximum endotoxin removal efficiency was 99.62%. Further investigations revealed that pH and ionic strength critically influenced the regulation of hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, thus significantly affecting the endotoxin adsorption efficiency. Additionally, weakly hydrophobic and basic lysozyme exhibited significantly higher recovery rates compared to strongly hydrophobic and acidic proteins such as BSA and OVA. This functionalized cryogel integrates a high adsorption capacity with excellent specificity and features a macroporous structure suitable for dynamic chromatographic separation. It offers a novel, reusable adsorbent material for endotoxin removal in protein preparation, biopharmaceutical production, and clinical blood purification applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"11 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12191926/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GelsPub Date : 2025-05-28DOI: 10.3390/gels11060404
Bence Sipos, Mária Budai-Szűcs, Gábor Katona, Ildikó Csóka
{"title":"Gellan Gum-Based In Situ Hydrogels for Nasal Delivery of Polymeric Micelles Loaded with Risperidone.","authors":"Bence Sipos, Mária Budai-Szűcs, Gábor Katona, Ildikó Csóka","doi":"10.3390/gels11060404","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels11060404","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nasal drug delivery faces numerous challenges related to the ineffectiveness of most nasal formulations without a mucoadhesive nature, prolonging residence time on the nasal mucosa. Another challenge is the low administrable dosage strength, which can be solved via nano-encapsulation techniques, including the utilization of polymeric micelles. In this study, gellan gum-cellulose derivative complex in situ gelling matrices were formulated to test their effect on the colloidal characteristics of polymeric micelles, their respective rheological behavior, and nasal applicability. It has been proven that these complex matrices can form gels upon contact with nasal fluid without disrupting the micellar structure. Changes in the drug release and permeation profile have been shown in a concentration-dependent manner to hinder the burst-like drug release profile of polymeric micelles. Formulations show concentration- and composition-dependent mucoadhesive features under nasal conditions. Most of the hydrogels possess a soft gel characteristic, making them suitable for nasal administration. In conclusion, this descriptive study provides useful insights for conscious, nasal dosage form design.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"11 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12191529/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GelsPub Date : 2025-05-28DOI: 10.3390/gels11060403
Sang Min Lee, Su Jung Hong, Gye Hwa Shin, Jun Tae Kim
{"title":"Cellulose-Based Pickering Emulsion-Templated Edible Oleofoam: A Novel Approach to Healthier Solid-Fat Replacers.","authors":"Sang Min Lee, Su Jung Hong, Gye Hwa Shin, Jun Tae Kim","doi":"10.3390/gels11060403","DOIUrl":"10.3390/gels11060403","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As health concerns and regulatory pressures over saturated and trans fats grow, there is a growing need for healthier alternatives to traditional solid fats, such as butter and hydrogenated oils, that are still widely used in the food system. In this study, cellulose particle-based Pickering emulsions (CP-PEs) were prepared from microcrystalline cellulose and ethylcellulose and then foamed to obtain edible oleofoams (CP-EOs) as a solid-fat replacer. The average size of CP-PE droplets without surfactant was 598 ± 69 nm, as confirmed by confocal and transmission electron microscopy. Foaming with citric acid/NaHCO<sub>3</sub> and structuring with ≥6% glyceryl monostearate resulted in CP-EOs with an overrun of 147 ± 4% and volumetric stability for 72 h. Micro-computed tomography showed a uniform microcellular network, while the rheological analysis showed solid-like behavior with a storage modulus higher than butter. Differential scanning calorimetry showed a melting enthalpy similar to unsalted butter (10.1 ± 0.9 J/g). These physicochemical properties demonstrate that CP-EOs can closely mimic the firmness, thermal profile, and mouth-feel of conventional solid fats and may provide a promising solid-fat replacer.</p>","PeriodicalId":12506,"journal":{"name":"Gels","volume":"11 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12191807/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}