Food HydrocolloidsPub Date : 2025-07-22DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111783
Vasiliki Evageliou, Maria Eleni Kostopoulou
{"title":"Gum Arabic -pectin powders loaded with eggplant peels’ extract","authors":"Vasiliki Evageliou, Maria Eleni Kostopoulou","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111783","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111783","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Addressing the instability issues of anthocyanins, the present work studied the encapsulation of anthocyanin rich eggplant peel extract in powders formed by oven drying using gum arabic alone or in mixtures with high and low methoxyl pectins. Moreover, the powders were incorporated in gelatine gels, in order to investigate their exploitation in food formulations as natural colour and antioxidant sources. Despite the heat sensitive nature of anthocyanins, the oven process resulted in great yield (75.31–87 %) and encapsulation efficiency (79.88–94.72 %) values. The powders shared similar moisture content (0.35–0.51 %) and solubility (63.15–63.69 %) with their bulk, tapped and particle densities and porosity varying from 0.67 to 0.75 g/cm<sup>3</sup>, 0.70–0.82 g/cm<sup>3</sup>, 1.18–2.51 g/cm<sup>3</sup> and 40.7–65.6 %, respectively. They had very good flowability (Carr Index: ∼5), low cohesiveness (Hausner ratio ∼1.06), good wettability (<2 s) and their dispersibility ranged from 40 to 53.4 %. Redness was close to +30 as expected due to the presence of anthocyanins. The phenolics content of the powders (0.089–0.124 mg GAE/0.5 mL) was lower than that of the initial extract (0.243 mg GAE/0.5 mL) whereas their antioxidant activity was 40 %. Regarding the wall material, the incorporation of pectins led to powders with increased porosity and particle density, better wettability and worst dispersibility. FT-IR suggested possible polysaccharide-polysaccharide and polysaccharide–extract interactions. No anthocyanins were detected in the gels. However, their AA ranged from 15.46 to 53.79 %. Overall, the present work can be a first step in the modulation of anthocyanin loaded powders for future use as encapsulating, antioxidant and colour agents in food matrices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 111783"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144685717","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}
Food HydrocolloidsPub Date : 2025-07-21DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111788
Sohail Khan , Zhongming Bao , Abdullah , Jiangxiang Wang , Xuxia Zhou , Yuting Ding , Weiwei Cheng , Shulai Liu
{"title":"Smart funoran film incorporated with blueberry anthocyanins as a dual pH/NH3 sensor for real-time monitoring of shrimp freshness","authors":"Sohail Khan , Zhongming Bao , Abdullah , Jiangxiang Wang , Xuxia Zhou , Yuting Ding , Weiwei Cheng , Shulai Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111788","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111788","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of smart, biodegradable packaging materials endowed with spoilage detection functionalities is a promising approach to enhance food safety and quality assurance. In this study, a funoran-based pH/NH<sub>3</sub>-sensitive smart film was developed by incorporating blueberry anthocyanins (BBA) as a natural pH indicator. The influence of BBA addition on the physicochemical characteristics of the film and its efficacy in monitoring the freshness of shrimp were evaluated. The rheological properties, Zeta-potential measurements, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that BBA interacted with funoran by electrostatic interactions, which led to alterations in the intricate structural network and the crystalline structure of the involved materials. The smart film exhibited a homogeneous and compact structure, demonstrating significant thermal stability up to 100 °C. The incorporation of BBA reduced light transmittance (78.2 %–65 %), water vapor permeability (WVP) (8.93 × 10<sup>−8</sup> to 2.68 g s<sup>−1</sup>·m<sup>−2</sup>·Pa<sup>−1</sup>), and oxygen permeability (OP) (190.98–132.13 cm<sup>3</sup>/(m<sup>2</sup>·day)). Conversely, the tensile strength (10.83–14.34 MPa), elongation at break (23.36–32.05 %), and antioxidant activity were significantly improved. The BBA solution exhibited sensitivity to variations in pH, and the funoran-based smart films (FBA) demonstrated notable colorimetric changes in various buffer solutions and ammonia. The smart film presented substantial colorimetric variations while evaluating the freshness of shrimp, particularly with the FBA 15 % formulation, showing superior sensitivity in freshness detection. These results suggest that the funoran film incorporating BBA can be effectively utilized as multifunctional smart packaging in the food industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 111788"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144696423","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}
Food HydrocolloidsPub Date : 2025-07-21DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111791
Zorana Jovanović , Nikola Gligorijević , Burkhard Annighöfer , Daniel Dudzinski , Steva M. Lević , Vladimir Pavlović , Milan Nikolić , Annie Brûlet , Ali Assifaoui , Sophie Combet , Simeon Minić
{"title":"Structural and functional characteristics of β-lactoglobulin/C-phycocyanin/starch composite gels induced by pressure","authors":"Zorana Jovanović , Nikola Gligorijević , Burkhard Annighöfer , Daniel Dudzinski , Steva M. Lević , Vladimir Pavlović , Milan Nikolić , Annie Brûlet , Ali Assifaoui , Sophie Combet , Simeon Minić","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111791","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111791","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>High-pressure processing (HPP) has emerged as a key sustainable green alternative for food treatment, effectively preserving food's sensory and nutritional properties. This study investigated the potential of HPP to develop β-lactoglobulin (BLG) gels in the presence of starch and the bioactive blue protein C-phycocyanin (C-PC). Various compositions of binary (BLG/C-PC and BLG/starch) and ternary (BLG/C-PC/starch) systems were subjected to high-pressure (HP) conditions at 4500 bar. BLG, C-PC, and starch concentrations were maintained at 180, 10, and 5 g/L. HP-induced hydrogels preserve C-PC colour and partial preservation of secondary and tertiary structures, as evidenced by visible absorption and CD spectroscopy. SAXS data at the high-<em>Q</em> range revealed that C-PC induces the unfolding of BLG within binary system gels. In contrast, the ternary system gel maintained the BLG tertiary structure better. C-PC and starch affected the nano and microstructures of BLG HP-induced gels by increasing the pore size, as demonstrated by SAXS (at low <em>Q</em>-range) and SEM analysis. This increase in pore size further influenced the resulting gels' rheological behaviour and texture profile. C-PC enhanced the protein solubility and antioxidant activity of the HP-induced gels, potentially boosting the bioactive and nutritional value of the developed gels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 111791"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144696424","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}
{"title":"Interfacial properties and emulsification performance of methyl-esterified okra polysaccharides","authors":"Ting Xu, Bingjie Zhang, Guojun Liu, Hongxu Gao, Panshu Ma, Yepeng Pang, Yuchao Gu, Mingyan Yan, Yinping Li","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111785","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111785","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The okra polysaccharide exhibits good emulsifying property, while it is stable in a narrow pH range possibly because of the low degree of methyl-esterification (DM). Consequently, the okra polysaccharide extracted by hydrochloric acid (OPH) was methyl-esterified using methanol/HCl to prepare methyl-esterified okra polysaccharide (MOP), whose DM significantly increased from 12.94% to 41.50%. However, their emulsifying activity (EA) did not show continuous improvement indicating additional structural changes. Thus, the MOP-1, MOP-2, and MOP-3 with DM of 21.83%, 31.53%, and 41.50% was prepared. There is significant difference of their molecular weight (Mw), abundance and length of side chains, which jointly influence the interface behavior of polysaccharides. With increasing DM, the polysaccharide's Mw and zeta potential decreased, while their hydrophobicity and the ability to reduce the interfacial tension was markedly improved (MOP-3: contact angle 104.23°, interfacial tension 13.26 mN/m). Interestingly, MOP-2 demonstrated optimal emulsifying performance due to its combined features of long branched-chain structure ((Gal + Ara)/Rha = 10.45), thick interfacial layer (505 nm), and appropriate DM. The MOP-2 emulsion showed the smallest droplet size (0.15 μm) and most uniform distribution (PDI = 0.18). Furthermore, its low malondialdehyde content (4.37 μmol/kg oil) and highest viscosity (484.29 mPa s) further highlighted its outstanding stabilization performance. The emulsification performance was synergistic influenced by the Mw, branching structure, steric hindrance, and hydrophobicity. Consequently, the influence of methyl esterification on emulsification property was complex. This study elucidates the multilevel “structure-interface-function” regulation mechanism of okra polysaccharides, providing a novel strategy to design high-performance polysaccharide-based emulsifiers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 111785"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144696426","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}
Food HydrocolloidsPub Date : 2025-07-20DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111787
Xinyu Wang, Qian Lin, Li Niu, Wenqing Zhao, Qi Zhao, Ruijie Li, Wenhao Li
{"title":"Octenylsuccinic acid modification promotes starch lecithin complexation: Application to the preparation of oleogels","authors":"Xinyu Wang, Qian Lin, Li Niu, Wenqing Zhao, Qi Zhao, Ruijie Li, Wenhao Li","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111787","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111787","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, mung starch with different degrees of Octenylsuccinic anhydride (OSA) modification (4 %, degree of substitution is 0.008; 8 %, degree of substitution is 0.012) was compounded with lecithin in different additions (0 %, 1 %, 3 %, and 6 %) by Rapid Viscosity Analyzer (RVA), freeze-dried, powered, and sieved for the preparation of oleogels. The effect of modification on the complexes and the differences between different formulations of oleogels were investigated. The results showed that OSA esterification conferred starch amphiphilicity through covalent bonding between hydrophilic hydroxyl and lipophilic anhydride portions, and thermal shear treatment in RVA disrupted the structure of starch granules to encapsulate lecithin in the lumen of amylose to form a V-type complex, which optimized the dispersion of lecithin and resulted in lyophilized product scaffolds with uniform porosity (SEM). These microporous matrices solidify the oil droplets on their framework through capillary action and reduction of interfacial tension, ultimately producing an oleogel with excellent stability. This study contributes to a better understanding of the effect of esterification modification on starch-lecithin complexes, thus broadening the application of starch and providing new ideas for producing oleogel products with alternative solid fat properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 111787"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144680055","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}
Food HydrocolloidsPub Date : 2025-07-19DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111776
Naiqun Zhao , Fengxian Qin , Youzhi Zhao , Haoran Qi , Yanzhuo Liu , Mingjie Hu , Liankui Wen , Xinyao Liu , Zhitong Wang
{"title":"High hydrostatic pressure enhances the interaction, antioxidant activity, stability, between endogenous pectin and malvidin in‘Beibinghong'grapes","authors":"Naiqun Zhao , Fengxian Qin , Youzhi Zhao , Haoran Qi , Yanzhuo Liu , Mingjie Hu , Liankui Wen , Xinyao Liu , Zhitong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111776","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111776","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper studies the physicochemical properties, and structural characterization of endogenous pectins (GP1, GP2, GP3) extracted from ‘Beibinghong’ grape pomace using three techniques (high hydrostatic pressure extraction, high hydrostatic pressure cellulase extraction, and microwave-assisted extraction) and the interaction mechanism between the three pectins (GP) and malvidin (MV) was also explored under high hydrostatic pressure (HHP). GP1, GP2 and GP3 are all high methoxyl GP with HG regions as the main body, mainly containing galacturonic acid. GP1 and GP3 are similar, with large linear and regular smooth pectin structures, high esterification degree and high molecular weight. However, GP2 has more RGI regions, a more complex and branched structure, and a smaller esterification degree and molecular weight. At pH 4, time 15 min, mass ratio 1:9 (w/w) and pressure 350 MPa, the binding with MV, among which the binding rate of GP2-MV (56.35 ± 1.03 %) reached the maximum. UV–Vis, FTIR and XRD results showed that new intermolecular associations were formed between GP and MV through hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds under HHP treatment. Zeta potential, Molecular adsorption docking confirms that GP and MV can bind through electrostatic interactions with van der Waals and that the pectin GP2-MV has the lowest adsorption binding energy (−250.1 kcal/mol) suggesting that MV adsorbs optimally to GP2. In addition, HHP treatment improved the storage stability, antioxidant activity and gastrointestinal stability of the complex. This study contributes to an in-depth understanding of the interactions between endogenous GP and MV molecules in HHP-treated ‘Beibinghong'grapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 111776"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144670978","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}
Food HydrocolloidsPub Date : 2025-07-18DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111780
Elif Çavdaroğlu, Meryem Topçuoğlu, Derin Koşar, Eda Acar, Nil Yaren Polat, Berkay Berk, Çağrı Çavdaroğlu, Ahmet Yemenicioğlu
{"title":"Harnessing pulse proteins as soy protein substitutes in spreadable cheese analogues: exploring correlations among protein techno-functionality, and cheese textural, rheological and sensory properties","authors":"Elif Çavdaroğlu, Meryem Topçuoğlu, Derin Koşar, Eda Acar, Nil Yaren Polat, Berkay Berk, Çağrı Çavdaroğlu, Ahmet Yemenicioğlu","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111780","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111780","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed at comparing techno-functional properties of faba bean (FBP), pinto bean (PBP), cowpea (CPP) and mung bean (MBP) proteins with commercial soy protein isolate (SPI), and exploring their correlations with textural, rheological and sensory properties of plant protein-based spreadable cheese analogues. FBP and MBP showed the best solubility between pH 3.0 and 11.0. The highest and the lowest water and oil (OAC) absorption capacities were observed for SPI and MBP (7.78 and 0.79 g H<sub>2</sub>O/g), and PBP and SPI (7.79 and 3.55 g oil/g). Protein's least gelling concentrations (LGC) ranged from 10 % (SPI) to 18 % (FBP). CPP, MBP, and PBP formed harder, gummier gels at ≥ LGC than SPI and FBP. Pre-gels of PBP and CPP at ≤ LGCs showed the highest consistency and viscosity indexes. Proteins showed similar emulsification. Cheese analogue from SPI (SPIC) showed the highest firmness (37.5 N) and work to shear for spreadability (57.5 N s), followed by cheese analogues of other proteins such as MBPC, CPPC, FBPC, and PBPC in descending order. The highest and lowest elastic (G′) and viscous (G″) moduli were obtained for MBPC (G' = 4353 and G''<strong>=</strong> 1277) and PBPC (G' = 377 Pa and G''<strong>=</strong> 98 Pa). OAC of proteins correlated with cheese analogues' firmness (r = −0.918), work to shear for spreadability (r = −0.910), and stickiness (r = −0.894). Tan δ <strong>(</strong>G''/G′<strong>)</strong> of cheese analogues correlated with work to shear for spreadability (r = 0.986). SPIC and FBPC received the highest overall liking scores correlated mainly with appearance, color and taste. Correlating protein techno-functionality in cheese analogue opens new horizons for effective utilization of pulse proteins as soy protein substitutes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 111780"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144680054","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}
Food HydrocolloidsPub Date : 2025-07-18DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111774
Yalong Guo , Ziyu Zhou , Aiqin Ma , Hongbin Zhang
{"title":"Phase separation and gelation behavior of the mixtures of welan gum and pea protein","authors":"Yalong Guo , Ziyu Zhou , Aiqin Ma , Hongbin Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111774","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111774","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This work reveals the impact of the side-group structure and concentration (0.1–1.0 ‰) of three types of native welan gum, each possessing different glycosyl side groups and varying content of L-rhamnose and L-mannose, on the interaction with pea protein and the acid-induced gelation behavior of mixtures of pea protein and welan gum utilizing stability analysis, rheology, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. It was observed that the mixtures underwent phase separation driven by electrostatic repulsion and depletion interaction, forming a water-in-water emulsion. The degree of local phase separation depended on the type and concentration of welan, while macroscopic phase separation was further influenced by the viscoelasticity of the mixture. Under acid-induced conditions, the mixtures exhibited a three-stage gelation process. A minimal addition of welan and slight adjustments in welan concentration were sufficient to effectively regulate the phase separation and gelation behavior of the mixture. At lower welan concentrations, welan enhanced the gel texture by increasing local protein concentration through phase separation and promoting electrostatic interactions between the protein and polysaccharide. The stronger viscoelasticity of welan with glycosyl side groups containing L-mannose residues further reinforced the gel structure by forming “weak gel” spheres. In contrast, at higher welan concentrations, all three types of welan, whether with or without L-mannose residues, led to the formation of irregular, large aggregates due to intensified phase separation. These aggregates disrupted the uniform distribution of proteins within the system and decreased the gel strength. This study provides insights into the role of welan in modulating the gelation behavior of protein-polysaccharide mixtures and highlights the influence of welan type and concentration on the structural and rheological properties of the resulting phase-separated gels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 111774"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144670979","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}
Food HydrocolloidsPub Date : 2025-07-18DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111777
Chaoran Yang , Caoyu Guo , Boyan Gao , Marcin A. Kurek , Yuge Niu , Liangli Yu
{"title":"Physical interaction between gallic acid and Monascus pigments enhances mechanical strength and pigment protection of pectin-gelatin hydrogel carriers","authors":"Chaoran Yang , Caoyu Guo , Boyan Gao , Marcin A. Kurek , Yuge Niu , Liangli Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111777","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111777","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Natural polymer hydrogels formed by polysaccharides and proteins can be protective carriers for <em>Monascus</em> pigment (MPs) in the food industry. In this study, in order to enhance the mechanical properties of the hydrogel and its ability to protect MPs, we introduced polyphenols as bifunctional components into the hydrogel carrier. This hydrogel carrier consisted of gallic acid (GA) grafted pectin (LPG) and gelatin. The results showed that the grafting of GA enhanced the affinity between MPs and pectin. A more compact network structure formed by pectin under the interaction of MPs with GA improved the mechanical properties of the hydrogel carriers. With the combination of GA with MPs, the gelation rate of the hydrogel carrier was accelerated, the gel strength increased from 550.07 g to 937.67 g and its water swelling rate decreased significantly from 447.87 % to 311.76 %. Moreover, the multiple pigment protection produced by the GA in the hydrogel greatly reduced the degradation rate of MPs under continuous light expose conditions. The findings provide new insights into developing hydrogel carriers for pigment protection with ideal mechanical properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 111777"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144680053","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}
Food HydrocolloidsPub Date : 2025-07-18DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111778
Tianrong Wang , Tiantian Chen , Jing Ming , Qingbo Jiao , Jiayi Han , Hao Li , Zhijun Song , Gerui Ren , Min Huang , Qunfang Lei , Wenjun Fang , Zexing Cao , Khaled F. El-Massry , Hujun Xie
{"title":"Phase behaviour of lactoferrin and β-lactoglobulin complexes: Revealing mechanisms from an integrated experimental and theoretical perspective","authors":"Tianrong Wang , Tiantian Chen , Jing Ming , Qingbo Jiao , Jiayi Han , Hao Li , Zhijun Song , Gerui Ren , Min Huang , Qunfang Lei , Wenjun Fang , Zexing Cao , Khaled F. El-Massry , Hujun Xie","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111778","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111778","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Regulating the phase characteristics of milk proteins through pH changes can enhance the quality of milk products. This study investigated the effect of pH on interaction mechanism of lactoferrin-β-lactoglobulin (LF-β-LG) complexes in different phases through experimental characterization and theoretical simulations. As pH varied from 2.0 to 12.0, soluble complexes, insoluble complexes, and co-soluble polymers were generated. The soluble complexes and co-soluble polymers exhibited smaller particles and less aggregation, whereas insoluble complexes displayed larger, irregularly shaped particles. The complex formation enhanced thermal stability of individual proteins, with the most significant improvement observed in the insoluble complexes, which exhibited thermal denaturation temperature of 100.1 °C. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that electrostatic interactions were the main driving force for the formation of insoluble complexes, while hydrogen bonding, electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions contributed to the formation of soluble complexes and co-soluble polymers. The results of molecular dynamics simulations revealed that strong interaction between LF and β-LG facilitates the generation of insoluble complexes at pH 6.0, while weak interactionn facilitates the generation of co-soluble polymers at pH 10.0, which was also validated by small-angle X-ray scattering analysis. Present work provided valuable insights into the phase behaviour of LF and β-LG.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 111778"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144671007","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}