{"title":"Nanobubbles to create enhanced functionalities of food-related products","authors":"Khanh Phan , Bhesh Bhandari","doi":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101955","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101955","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Together with the development of nanotechnology, roles and applications of food-grade nanobubbles (NBs) have rapidly evolved in the food field. NBs are known as ultrafine gas bubbles with a diameter less than 1 μm. Owing to unique features, such as an extremely tiny in size, outstanding stability, high internal pressure and an extensive surface-to-volume ratio, NBs can significantly facilitate various food processes and related products, as well as enhance food safety and functionalities. There are factors such as gas pressure, temperature, surfactants, electrolytes, gas type, and concentration that impact the formation and stability of NBs in the liquid system. This review article discusses the general concept of bulk-gas NBs, their colloidal stability and other exceptional characteristics relevant to feasible food applications. A special focus is on promising potentials and underlying mechanisms of using NBs to enhance functionalities of food related products. Challenges and future perspectives of comprising NBs in food production are also briefly discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":293,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science","volume":"80 ","pages":"Article 101955"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145026336","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wenjing Chang , Ke Du , Zhiyong Li, Yuanchao Pei, Jianji Wang
{"title":"Advances in high-temperature microemulsions","authors":"Wenjing Chang , Ke Du , Zhiyong Li, Yuanchao Pei, Jianji Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101954","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101954","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Designing microemulsions for high-temperature stability remains a critical challenge in colloid science. This review highlights the effects of temperature on interfacial curvature and phase behavior, and proposes two strategies for the design of high-temperature microemulsions: (1) Advanced formulations using high-boiling-point solvents and thermally robust surfactants; (2) Ionic liquids (ILs) as multifunctional components, which enable microemulsions with unprecedented thermal stability. Notably, all-IL systems achieve stability up to 200 °C under ambient pressure while maintaining their nanoscale structure, as evidenced by <em>in situ</em> SAXS and cryo-TEM analysis. Applications in enhanced oil recovery, nanomaterial synthesis, and high-temperature nanoreactors are highlighted. Finally, future research directions are proposed, including the advanced structural characterization techniques, the development of green surfactant, the design of new-generation ILs, and the exploration of emerging research fields. This work provides a comprehensive roadmap for extending microemulsion functionality to extreme thermal environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":293,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science","volume":"80 ","pages":"Article 101954"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145005032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Olivier Schafer , Antoine Cros , Laurent Sagalowicz
{"title":"Leveraging fat structuration for enhanced taste, nutrition, and sustainability","authors":"Olivier Schafer , Antoine Cros , Laurent Sagalowicz","doi":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101953","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101953","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Historically, intake of fats and oils has been targeted for reduction in food products due to health concerns. However, recent understanding emphasizes the essential role of lipids as nutrients that provide energy, essential fatty acids, and vitamins. The food industry faces challenges in developing products that are nutritionally optimal, environmentally sustainable, and sensory-appealing. The World Health Organization recommends reducing the consumption of saturated fatty acids (SFAs). The production of oils rich in SFAs is often linked to ecological concerns, including greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation.</div><div>Despite these challenges, SFA-rich oils offer technical advantages in food production, such as being solid and structuring food at room temperature and their resistance to oxidation. This opinion paper analyzes strategies to leverage lipid nutrition by reducing SFAs in food products while preserving sensory attributes. Those include the control of fat crystallization, oleogels (‘gelled’ liquid oils) formation, foams stabilized by lipids, and emulsion gels. A strong emphasis on consumer perception, industrial feasibility, regulatory aspects, cost and sustainability in the food industry is given.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":293,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science","volume":"80 ","pages":"Article 101953"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145026335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elliot Borne, Jean-Marie Aubry, Véronique Nardello-Rataj
{"title":"Recent advances in interfacial liquid–liquid oxidation in emulsions and microemulsions with surface-active molecular and nanoparticulate catalysts","authors":"Elliot Borne, Jean-Marie Aubry, Véronique Nardello-Rataj","doi":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101952","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101952","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This review presents recent advances in catalytic oxidations performed in emulsified biphasic systems using primary oxidants (O<sub>2</sub>, H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2,</sub> and <em>t</em>-BuOOH) mediated by surface-active molecular or nanoparticulate catalysts. Emphasis is placed on the activation of these sustainable oxidants by redox catalysts compatible with aqueous biphasic environments. A distinctive feature of this review is its colloid-focused perspective, examining how the formulation and composition of surface-active catalyst/oil/water systems drives emulsion morphology, droplet size, demixing kinetics, and ultimately the ease of product recovery and catalyst recycling. Particular attention is given to the design of redox-active amphiphiles, which enhance interfacial coverage and facilitate (nano)emulsification. Three classes of systems are considered: (<em>i</em>) systems using separate phase-transfer agents (PTAs) and redox catalysts; (<em>ii</em>) integrated systems involving catalytic surfactants or catalytic ionic liquids (CILs) that combine interfacial and redox functions within a single species; and (<em>iii</em>) amphiphilic nanoparticles that adsorb at the oil–water interface, serving as both emulsion stabilizers (the so-called Pickering emulsions) and oxidation catalysts. A dedicated section addresses the challenge of chemically generated singlet oxygen (<sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>) in organic synthesis. Due to its short lifetime in water (≈4 μs), <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub> must be generated in aqueous nanodroplets of a microemulsion system to ensure its diffusion into the organic phase before deactivation occurs. Recent innovations in Pickering interfacial catalysis (PIC) highlight that particle-based systems are becoming increasingly elaborated, both for controlling the physicochemical properties of the emulsion and for enhancing catalytic performance. However, several challenges still remain to be overcome before they can be scaled up for industrial applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":293,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science","volume":"80 ","pages":"Article 101952"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145020847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rafael Muñoz-Espí, Inés Adam-Cervera, Luis Fernando Jiménez-Hernández
{"title":"Inverse nanoemulsions in particle fabrication","authors":"Rafael Muñoz-Espí, Inés Adam-Cervera, Luis Fernando Jiménez-Hernández","doi":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101951","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101951","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nanoemulsions have emerged as highly versatile platforms for the synthesis of functional nanoparticles, offering nanoconfined environments that enable fine control over particle size, composition, and morphology. While traditionally used in fields such as food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, their role in materials chemistry—particularly in the fabrication of organic, inorganic, and hybrid nanoparticles—has seen significant expansion in recent years. This review focuses specifically on inverse nanoemulsions, in which polar droplets are dispersed in an apolar continuous phase, as media for the controlled formation of nanostructured materials. We present an overview of recent developments from the last few years, organized around three main synthetic strategies: (i) the incorporation of all precursors into a single emulsion, (ii) the external addition of a reactive component to an existing emulsion of a precursor, and (iii) the fusion of two distinct emulsions, each carrying complementary reactants. These methodologies are discussed in terms of their mechanisms, advantages, and applicability to diverse material systems, with particular emphasis on advanced functional materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":293,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 101951"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144895480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chenxi Wang , Brent S. Murray , Michael Bryant , Anwesha Sarkar
{"title":"Pickering water-in-water emulsions: A review on their rheological and tribological performance","authors":"Chenxi Wang , Brent S. Murray , Michael Bryant , Anwesha Sarkar","doi":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101940","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101940","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pickering water-in-water (W/W) emulsions have attracted renewed research attention owing to the recent discovery of their aqueous lubrication performance. We cover the current knowledge of Pickering W/W emulsions regarding their rheological and tribological performance. Particularly, we examine the recent advances that have surfaced in the literature in the last five years, highlighting how the two phases and the Pickering particles affect the rheological properties and microstructural evolution of W/W emulsions when subjected to various degrees of shear stresses. We postulate how biolubrication performance of Pickering W/W emulsions can be altered by formulation engineering of the water droplets to offer fluid film lubrication while the particles providing boundary lubrication. This review therefore offers a stepping stone in highlighting the requirement of systematic experimental studies and rational design of the next-generation Pickering W/W emulsions for them to act as effective aqueous lubricants for a range of biomedical and allied applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":293,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 101940"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144780649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Addressing multifactorial complexity in freeze structuring of food colloids","authors":"Andrea Bach, Patrick A. Rühs","doi":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101941","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101941","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Freeze structuring is a simple and scalable process that allows precise control over pore morphology by manipulating ice crystal formation in aqueous suspensions. By adjusting material and process parameters, freeze structuring of colloidal suspensions can yield various structural outcomes. Food systems are inherently complex mixtures of polysaccharides, proteins, and fats, and unlike well-studied single-component systems, the interactions within these multi-component mixtures during freeze structuring remain largely unexplored. This knowledge gap hinders the immediate application of freeze structuring in the food industry, limiting its broader adoption for structuring complex food systems. This review identifies the suspension characteristics that dictate structural outcomes in food systems, aiming to advance freeze structuring as a viable tool for sustainable food manufacturing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":293,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 101941"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144771827","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Electrically conductive microcellular foams via high internal phase emulsions","authors":"Song Hee Lee , Joung Sook Hong , Seong Jae Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101939","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101939","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Emulsion-based microcellular foams offer several advantages over conventional extruded foams, including small cell size, open cell structure, and various functionalities. To transform emulsions into polymer foams, a high internal phase emulsion must be formed in which the monomer-based oil phase acts as the continuous phase and the aqueous phase with a very high volume fraction is the dispersed phase, and the cell structure must be maintained during the polymerization process. Electrically conductive foams are fabricated by incorporating conductive fillers or additives, and these materials need to be designed so as not to affect the stability of the emulsion. The key to successful emulsion-based functional foams lies in achieving a synergistic combination of the inherent advantages of the emulsion and the specific roles of functional additives. In this mini-review, we discuss the characteristics of high internal phase emulsions and foams obtained by polymerizing such emulsions, and then discuss the preparation, morphology, and properties of electrically conductive emulsion-based foams. We also explore the development trends of carbonized polymer foams and investigate methods to achieve optimal performance as electrically conductive materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":293,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 101939"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144656618","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaporation of emulsion drops on surfaces: A short review","authors":"Dileep Mampallil","doi":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101938","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cocis.2025.101938","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The evaporation of drops is a ubiquitous phenomenon with implications across a wide range of applied processes. Consequently, the fundamentals of drop evaporation under various configurations and conditions have been extensively studied. One particularly interesting configuration involves the evaporation of emulsion drops, which has implications for food technology, drug delivery, and cosmetics, to name a few. This review explores the evaporation of emulsion systems placed on solid surfaces. Oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions exhibit distinct evaporation dynamics and offer possibilities for various applications. Here, we discuss the fundamental principles of drop evaporation in general and highlight various applications of emulsion systems. Additionally, we examine the potential opportunities that can be explored within this system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":293,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 101938"},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144580647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}