Food Hydrocolloids最新文献

{"title":"Refined structural characterization and variability of gum arabic using partial hydrolysis","authors":"Frederike Kersten,&nbsp;Nina Hünemörder,&nbsp;Finja Schendzielorz,&nbsp;Ludovica Tozzi,&nbsp;Luise Ernst,&nbsp;Daniel Wefers","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112510","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112510","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gum arabic (GA) consists of a mixture of complex, highly branched glycoproteins. The structural architecture of these glycoproteins remains only partly understood and has not yet been comprehensively examined across functionally different GA batches. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate structural differences in the carbohydrate domains and carbohydrate-protein linkages in eight qualitatively different GA samples and their respective glycoprotein fractions in detail by using different partial hydrolysis procedures.</div><div>To analyze the polysaccharide architecture, all samples as well as their glycoprotein fractions arabinogalactan, arabinogalactan-protein (AGP), and glycoprotein were digested with β-1,3-galactan-cleaving enzymes to release the arabinogalactan side chains, which were subsequently analyzed by HPAEC-PAD/ESI-MSⁿ. 18 side chain derived oligosaccharides were identified in all samples, 12 of which were newly described. However, variations in their abundance were observed. In particular, Rha1→4GlcA1→6Gal1 and Ara1→3/Ara1→4Gal1→6Gal1 were enriched in high molecular mass samples and protein-rich fractions. However, assignment of the GA quality based on these side chain oligosaccharides was not possible.</div><div>The analysis of protein glycosylation after alkaline hydrolysis showed that AGP fractions contained the highest amount of Hyp and the highest content of glycosylated Hyp. However, these parameters were not related to the molecular weight or the quality of the samples. Furthermore, Hyp-arabinosides were not detected but it was evident that GA polysaccharides are degraded under alkaline conditions. Although the degree of glycosylation plays a significant role for the properties of the protein-rich fractions of GA, the structure of the polysaccharides is more important for the functionality of different GA batches.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112510"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146184753","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":"Machine-learning-guided extraction optimization and physicochemical characteristic of GRAS microalgae proteins for sustainable food applications","authors":"Wei Han Foo ,&nbsp;Mingmin Chen ,&nbsp;Yu Xuan Lim ,&nbsp;Lin Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112531","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112531","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microalgae are promising sustainable proteins, but recalcitrant cell envelopes and extraction-induced quality losses limit recovery and application. Six GRAS microalgae were screened, and <em>Chlorella pyrenoidosa</em>, <em>Arthrospira platensis</em>, and <em>Chlorella sorokiniana</em> were selected for ultrasound-assisted alkaline extraction integrating bath-probe benchmarking, optimization, and structure-function assessment. Probe sonication outperformed bath and alkaline-only controls (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), with <em>A. platensis</em> reaching 96.38% recovery and 365.30 mg/g biomass versus 71.93% and 272.65 mg/g in the control; both <em>Chlorella</em> species showed smaller gains consistent with cellulose/algaenan-rich walls. Response surface methodology identified species-specific optima, and machine learning-based Gaussian process regression provided uncertainty-aware modelling that improved cross-validation for the <em>Chlorella</em> datasets and supported robust operating-window selection where responses plateaued. Process intensity was quantified: the optimized probe protocol required 22.5 kJ per batch (∼6.94 kWh/kg biomass) and ∼19 kWh/kg recovered protein (optimized <em>A. platensis</em> example). Protein concentrates contained 63-79% protein (dry basis); SDS-PAGE and FTIR indicated preserved protein signatures without pervasive fragmentation. Functionality was strongly medium/pH dependent: solubility remained &lt;25% in deionized water but increased sharply in buffer at pH ≥ 7. <em>A. platensis</em> concentrates exhibited high water absorption (∼3.7 g/g), whereas optimized <em>C. pyrenoidosa</em> isolates showed high oil absorption (∼4.2 g/g). Emulsification and foaming were pH sensitive, with optimization improving emulsion stability at alkaline pH and modulating foam performance in a species-dependent manner. Overall, ultrasound-assisted alkaline extraction offers an energy-transparent route to multifunctional microalgal proteins and a framework for multi-response optimization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112531"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146184760","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":"Packaging films prepared from hot acid vs ultrasound-assisted microwave extracted pectin: a comparative study","authors":"Chandra Mohan Chandrasekar ,&nbsp;Michael A. Jackson ,&nbsp;Karl E. Vermillion ,&nbsp;Kervin O. Evans ,&nbsp;Andre K. White ,&nbsp;Stefanie Simon ,&nbsp;Arland T. Hotchkiss ,&nbsp;Pankaj Koirala ,&nbsp;Rishabh Goyal ,&nbsp;Shyam S. Sablani ,&nbsp;Wei Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112508","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112508","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This project presents a comparative analysis of pectins extracted from lemon peel using two distinct methods: conventional heating (yielding CHP – Citric acid-Heat extracted Pectin) and ultrasonic-assisted microwave extraction (UAME) (yielding CUMP – Citric acid-Ultrasound-Microwave extracted Pectin). The study aimed to elucidate how these extraction paradigms influence the physicochemical properties of the resulting pectins and, consequently, the functional characteristics of films produced from them. A comprehensive suite of analytical techniques was employed to characterize the molecular architecture of the pectins, including monosaccharide composition, molecular weight (Mw), degree of methyl-esterification (DM), and solution conformation. Subsequently, films prepared from both pectin types were evaluated for their mechanical, thermal, optical, surface, and barrier properties. The results revealed profound structural differences. CUMP pectin exhibited a 71 % higher molecular weight (663.90 kD) and a greater degree of branching compared to CHP pectin (388.80 kD). This superior structural integrity led CUMP to adopt a compact, globular conformation in solution, whereas CHP formed a flexible coil. These molecular distinctions were directly translated to the functional properties of the derived films. The CHP film demonstrated superior mechanical strength, stiffness, and oxygen barrier property, attributed to more effective entanglement of polymer chains. Conversely, the CUMP film exhibited higher thermal stability, water vapor barrier property, greater transparency and better UV protection. This study highlights that the extraction method greatly influences the structure of extracted pectin and the functional properties of the pectin film, underscoring a trade-off between preserving molecular weight with the UAME method and achieving superior film mechanical and oxygen barrier properties with the heating method.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112508"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146184873","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":"Interactions between lycopene and myofibrillar proteins under different pH conditions: Implications for structural properties and in vitro digestibility","authors":"Jia Huang ,&nbsp;Min You ,&nbsp;Yanyan Chen ,&nbsp;Chunhui Zhang ,&nbsp;Feng Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112500","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112500","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the mechanism behind pH-dependent interactions between lycopene (LYC) and myofibrillar proteins (MPs) and their effects on protein structure, colloidal stability and digestibility. Results revealed that LYC binding is driven by hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces at neutral pH, whereas hydrophobic interactions dominate under acidic/alkaline conditions. Structural analyses showed that LYC reduced α-helix/β-sheet content, increased random coil structures, and induced localized unfolding at the myosin head-tail junction, particularly at pH 7, without altering surface hydrophobicity or zeta potential. Crucially, LYC embedding favored colloidal stability while preventing excessive aggregation. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed structural destabilization accompanied by compaction. Digestion studies demonstrated significantly enhanced hydrolysis and bioactive peptide release at pH 7 due to improved enzyme accessibility, while extreme pH values led to aggregation and reduced digestibility. These findings highlight LYC as a pH-sensitive structural modulator for MPs to optimize colloidal stability and digestibility, providing a framework for designing nutrient-dense meat products with tailored functionality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112500"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074508","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":"Arabinose side-chains play a crucial role in fermentation properties of RG-I enriched citrus pectin","authors":"Jiefen Cui ,&nbsp;Xiaoxiao Zhang ,&nbsp;Dan Liu ,&nbsp;Jirong Wang ,&nbsp;Yongkai Yuan ,&nbsp;Jinkai Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112507","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112507","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The relationship between pectin side chains and fermentability is crucial for understanding precision nutrition. In this study, α-L-arabinofuranosidase and β-galactosidase were used to remove arabinose and galactose side chains of citrus pectin. Effects of RG-I side chains on structural characteristics and <em>in vitro</em> fermentation property of pectin were investigated. The removal of arabinose and galactose side chains led to a decrease in molecular weight and branching degree of pectin, which in turn resulted in a loose spatial conformation. Based on correlation analysis and carbohydrate-active enzymes annotation, we concluded that the presence of arabinose in citrus pectin promoted the production of propionate and had no promoting effect on the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria of <em>Escherichia</em> and <em>Klebsiella</em>. The removal of the galactose side chain promoted proliferation of potentially beneficial bacteria (<em>Bifidobacterium</em>, <em>Faecalibacterium</em>, <em>Veillonella</em>, and <em>Parabacteroides</em>). We further found that arabinose produced propionate mainly via the succinate pathway and acrylate pathway, while galactose generated butyrate by activating phosphate butyryltransferase and butyrate kinase. Our results provide new insights into structure-function relationship between arabinose and galactose side chains and fermentability of pectin, while also offering a scientific reference for targeted design of pectin prebiotics with precise functionalities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112507"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074505","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":"Harnessing the structural dynamics of fructans: decoding hydrothermal processing effects on functional polymeric carbohydrates","authors":"Huan Gong ,&nbsp;Songshan Shi ,&nbsp;Zexi Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaona Gan ,&nbsp;Wenqi Song ,&nbsp;Jie Chen ,&nbsp;Paiziliya Paerhati ,&nbsp;Tingzhao Li ,&nbsp;Dong Liu ,&nbsp;Bo Li ,&nbsp;Shunchun Wang ,&nbsp;Huijun Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112501","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112501","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydrothermal processing is a technique commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and food processing to modify the texture and efficacy of medicinal materials. However, the dynamic structural transformation processing and underlying mechanisms of key polysaccharide components at the molecular level during complex hydrothermal processing remain unclear. In this study, the mechanistic evolution of polysaccharide structure under different processing cycles was systematically examined using techniques such as high-performance gel permeation chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. The results revealed significant degradation of high-molecular-weight fructans after only one round of steaming. With further steaming, the molecular weight, polysaccharide yield, total sugar content, content of most monosaccharide and esterification degree decreased, accompanied by a relative increase in the amount of galactose. Mechanistic studies indicated that during the initial steaming stage, thermal energy-driven glycosidic bond cleavage served as the primary mechanism for polysaccharide transformation, whereas the weakly acidic environment resulting from Maillard reaction-generated organic acids played an auxiliary role in hydrolysis. Additionally, small molecules such as amino acids and oligosaccharides generated during polysaccharide degradation further participate in catalysis, collectively contributing to a synergistic nonenzymatic degradation mechanism described as “heat–acid–small-molecule catalysis”. This study provides molecular-level insights into the dynamic structural changes of polysaccharides during hydrothermal processing, providing a theoretical basis for the precise control of processing parameters in both TCM and food manufacturing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112501"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074557","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":"Potato protein-carboxymethyl chitosan bigels: a novel system for dual delivery of lipophilic and hydrophilic compounds","authors":"Xu Zhao,&nbsp;Kaili Wang,&nbsp;Zhixin Xie,&nbsp;Huaijie Zhang,&nbsp;Mingyao Pang,&nbsp;Siyuan Liu,&nbsp;Bo Tian,&nbsp;Zhibiao Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112485","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112485","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to develop a novel food-grade bigel system for the co-encapsulation of hydrophilic and lipophilic active compounds. The bigels were successfully prepared based on potato protein (PP) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), utilizing these polymers as the aqueous gel phase and glycerol monostearate (GMS) as the oleogel phase. The investigation examined the effects of CMCS concentration and water-to-oil ratio on the bigels' formation mechanism, microstructure, rheological properties, and physical stability. Results demonstrated increasing the CMCS concentration significantly enhanced the system's rheological performance. Furthermore, varying the water-to-oil ratio (80:20, 50:50, 20:80) drove a structural transition from O/W to W/O configurations. The bigels maintained excellent structural stability over 12 freeze-thaw cycles, demonstrating a solvent retention rate exceeding 89.24 % without observable phase separation. Quercetin (Que) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) were selected as model lipophilic and hydrophilic compounds, respectively, to evaluate their <em>in vitro</em> release profiles under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The biphasic structure was found to provide effective encapsulation and controlled release for compounds of different polarities. The release kinetics adhered to a zero-order model, indicating favorable sustained-release characteristics and diffusion-dominated release mechanism. This research presents a novel material platform and theoretical foundation for developing multifunctional co-delivery systems for food bioactive compounds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112485"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074558","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":"Electrosprayed hempseed protein/oilbody emulsions for encapsulation and oxidative stabilization of PUFA-rich oils","authors":"Aikaterini Natsia ,&nbsp;Aikaterini Papadaki ,&nbsp;Anastasios C. Manikas ,&nbsp;Maria Giovanna Pastore Carbone ,&nbsp;Vassileios Dracopoulos ,&nbsp;Nikolaos Kopsahelis","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112436","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112436","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the hypothesis that electrosprayed PUFA-rich oils with low peroxide value can be obtained by applying oilbodies instead of oil. Electrospraying was performed using emulsions prepared with hempseed protein isolate (HPI) and hempseed oilbodies (HOB) or hempseed oil (HO) at varying protein:lipid ratios (2:1, 3:1, 4:1, and 5:1). Emulsion characterization showed that both lipid type and protein content significantly affected their properties. HPI-HOB emulsions showed no creaming at any tested temperature (4, 25 and 37 °C) and remained stable throughout the 20-day storage period. In contrast, HPI-HO emulsions exhibited phase separation, reaching the highest creaming index of 11.0 % at 2:1 protein:lipid ratio and 37 °C. Encapsulation efficiency (EE) was influenced by lipid type and protein:lipid ratio, reaching a maximum of 84.2 % for HPI-HOB and 68.8 % for HPI-HO particles at a 5:1 protein:lipid ratio. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated similar morphologies for HPI-HO and HPI-HOB electrosprayed particles. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and RAMAN mapping confirmed that both HO and HOB were homogeneously distributed within the electrosprayed structures, supporting process reproducibility and stability. HPI-HOB particles exhibited almost 70 % lower peroxide value than HPI-HO, at a 5:1 protein:lipid ratio, highlighting that the use of HOB contributed to superior oxidative stability during electrospraying. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed strong negative correlations between peroxide value of HPI-HOB and the EE and protein ratio. Overall, combining HOB with high protein levels enhanced both EE and oxidative stability, providing a novel approach for the effective encapsulation and stabilization of PUFA-rich oils through emulsion electrospraying.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112436"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145975756","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":"Molecular dynamics elucidation of the synergistic regulation of thermal kinetics and sodium caseinate on the crystalline and interfacial architecture of solid lipid particles","authors":"Yongbo Gou ,&nbsp;Mengli Li ,&nbsp;Jiayan Xu ,&nbsp;Yuan Cheng ,&nbsp;Xingyu Guan ,&nbsp;Yongchun Huang ,&nbsp;Xiangyi Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112442","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112442","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solid lipid particles (SLPs) are widely used in food emulsification and drug delivery owing to their biocompatibility and controllable release properties. However, the crystallization and interfacial behaviors of emulsifier-modified high-melting lipids remain poorly understood. This study combined experiments and molecular dynamics simulations to examine sodium caseinate (Na-Cas) effects on sugarcane wax SLPs. At 2.0–2.5 wt<em>%</em>, Na-Cas formed a dense surface layer that reduced interfacial tension and improved dispersion through electrostatic and steric stabilization. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction showed that Na-Cas disrupted crystal packing, inhibited grain growth, and lowered crystallization enthalpy, producing uniform microcrystals. Simulations revealed a three-step crystallization process—chain extension, nucleation, and growth—with cooling rate governing defect density and crystal size. Hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding stabilized crystal surfaces. These results clarify the crystallization mechanism of high-melting lipids and support the design of functional SLPs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":320,"journal":{"name":"Food Hydrocolloids","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 112442"},"PeriodicalIF":11.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145975757","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":"Switchable thermo-triggered and 3D-printable soy protein soft emulsion gels as fat analogs for plant-based meat","authors":"Ge Qiao ,&nbsp;Xiao-Wei Chen ,&nbsp;Xiao-Yang Luo ,&nbsp;Lin-Shang Zhang ,&nbsp;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":"2026-06-01","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}