Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies最新文献

{"title":"Microwave vacuum drying for crispy beet snacks: Process development, drying kinetics, and product qualities","authors":"Diane Makovic,&nbsp;Viral Shukla,&nbsp;Sofia Bielinski Leitao,&nbsp;Jinhong Yu,&nbsp;Olga I. Padilla-Zakour,&nbsp;Chang Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104402","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104402","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the increase in snack consumption in the modern diet and health concerns over conventional products made by deep frying or baking, there is a need to develop novel processing methods to produce nutritious and better-for-you snack options from vegetables. The objective of this study was to develop a new microwave vacuum drying (MVD) process for crispy beet (<em>Beta vulgaris</em>) chips. Beet slices (Φ5 cm × 3 mm thickness) were dried under 8 kPa vacuum at microwave powers of 900, 1350, and 1800 W (corresponding to initial power densities of 3 W/g, 4.5 W/g, and 6 W/g). The drying times and drying rates were experimentally determined. Under the tested conditions, beet chips were dried from their initial moisture content of 0.80 kg water/kg wet mass to under 0.20 kg water/kg wet mass within 21–27 min. The average drying rates ranged from 0.167 to 0.312 kg water/kg dry mass/min with higher MVD power corresponding with larger drying rates. Puffing on the chip surface initiated between 10 and 15 min, corresponding to moisture content between 0.598 and 0.687 kg water/kg wet mass. The color metrics, water activity, texture properties, and total betalain content were measured across the drying time. Microstructure of the dried beet chips was evaluated using an imaging analysis approach. This study provides evidence that MVD is a promising method to produce crispy vegetable snacks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":329,"journal":{"name":"Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies","volume":"108 ","pages":"Article 104402"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788306","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":"Exploring the mechanisms underlying the effects of pulsed electric field pretreatment on the antioxidant activity of prunes during drying through metabolomics analysis","authors":"Shuang Luo ,&nbsp;Qinghui Wang ,&nbsp;Hongwei Xiao ,&nbsp;Zhongqiang Yang ,&nbsp;Jun Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104423","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104423","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study discusses the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) pre-treatment on the moisture migration, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activities of prunes during drying. Widely-targeted and anthocyanin-targeted metabolomics were employed to analyze the mechanisms underlying the effects of PEF pre-treatment on the antioxidant activity of prunes during drying. Results showed that PEF enhances drying rate but significantly reduced the total phenolic and flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity of prunes, and the degree of reduction also increased with the increase of PEF intensity. A total of 714 phenolic metabolites, including 308 phenolic acids and 247 flavones, were identified, with flavonoids being the primary phenolic substances affected by drying. The decline in prune antioxidant activity during drying is primarily attributed to the reduction in flavonoids. Polyphenolic metabolism is mainly modulated through transformation of secondary metabolites and metabolic pathways. Additionally, 33 anthocyanins were identified, with procyanidin B1 being the primary phenolic substances in prunes. The crucial differential polyphenolic metabolites and anthocyanins, which are abundant in prunes, show a positive correlation with antioxidant capacity. The decrease in polyphenolic compounds and anthocyanins may contribute to the diminished antioxidant capacity observed in dried plums. This study provides insights into the influence of drying and PEF pre-treatment on prune antioxidant activity, offering potential strategies for enhancing prune quality during drying process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":329,"journal":{"name":"Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies","volume":"108 ","pages":"Article 104423"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788309","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":"Microencapsulation of fish oil derived from fish industry side streams to improve stability, efficiency and bioaccessibility of omega-3 fatty acids","authors":"Ioanna Semenoglou,&nbsp;Maria Katsouli,&nbsp;Ioanna V. Thanou,&nbsp;Maria C. Giannakourou,&nbsp;Petros Taoukis","doi":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104417","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104417","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fish processing side streams can be valorized by extracting polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), mainly long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). However, PUFA are prone to oxidation, resulting in undesirable odors and tastes. This study focuses on encapsulation efficiency (EE), oxidation stability, and <em>in vitro</em> bioaccessibility of fish oil-filled powders, produced <em>via</em> freeze-drying. Fish oil, rich in DHA and EPA, extracted from sea bass filleting side streams was used to create nanoemulsions with different biopolymer wall materials, including sodium caseinate, maltodextrin, modified starch, chitosan, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). The impact of homogenization process (1- or 2-step), and wall material on EE, <em>in vitro</em> bioaccessibility, and oxidation stability of microencapsulated fish oil powders was evaluated after a 2-month storage at 25 °C, at an environment of 43 % and 75 % relative humidity (RH). Results showed that emulsions produced with 1-step homogenization had larger droplet sizes (&gt;2150 nm) and lower EE (40.8–69.0 depending on wall material), while 2-step homogenization resulted in 29.7 % higher yields and lower emulsion droplet sizes (272 nm), indicating the impact of the second step. In the case of 2-step homogenization, a mixture of sodium caseinate and maltodextrin achieved a moderate EE of 51.6 %, while combinations of maltodextrin with CMC, modified starch, and chitosan showed much higher yields (82.4 %, 81.0 %, 80.0 %, respectively), due to enhanced matrix-forming capability provided by protein-polysaccharide interactions. The use of these biopolymers significantly enhanced omega-3 <em>in vitro</em> bioaccessibility, particularly maltodextrin and CMC (29.6 %) and chitosan (27.1 %), compared to non-encapsulated fish oil (15.5 %), whereas maltodextrin with modified starch did not show a beneficial effect (9.0 %), possibly due to excessive structural rigidity limiting release. Freeze-drying combined with 2-step homogenization proved effective in preserving omega-3 quality and improving <em>in vitro</em> bioaccessibility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":329,"journal":{"name":"Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies","volume":"108 ","pages":"Article 104417"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788311","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":"Oil-in-water emulsions prepared using vegetable oils and buttermilk as emulsifier: Unveiling the impact of high-pressure homogenization valve design on emulsion physical and oxidative stability","authors":"Libni Turitich ,&nbsp;Essam Hebishy ,&nbsp;Daniel Maspoch ,&nbsp;Victoria Ferragut ,&nbsp;Mary Cano-Sarabia ,&nbsp;Antonio J. Trujillo","doi":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104410","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104410","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the influence of homogenization valve design and formulation parameters on the stability of oil-in-water emulsions produced with chia and sunflower oils (1:1) and buttermilk (BM) as the emulsifier. Three high-pressure homogenization techniques—microfluidization (MF), ultra-high-pressure homogenization (UHPH), and conventional homogenization (CH)—were compared at 100 MPa using buttermilk (5 and 7 %, <em>w</em>/<em>v</em>) and oil concentrations (10 and 20 % <em>v</em>/v). MF produced the most stable and uniform emulsions, characterized by the smallest droplet size and narrowest distribution, attributed to the effective control of droplet breakup in the homogenization chamber. UHPH produced fine but larger, less uniform droplets, reducing stability and increasing lipid oxidative susceptibility in the emulsions. This effect was attributed to intense shear forces and temperature rise at the UHPH valve outlet, which disrupted interfacial protein, causing partial denaturation and emulsion instability. CH emulsions, despite their larger droplet size, showed long-term physical stability due to droplet packing and surface charge density, which increased electrostatic repulsion but were the least oxidatively stable. Emulsion composition (BM and oil concentration) also played a critical role. In MF emulsions, higher BM concentration enhanced stability under low shear, whereas in UHPH systems, excess BM promoted protein aggregation under high shear. Increasing oil concentration (20 %) generally enhanced oxidative stability, attributed to viscosity effects and closer droplet packing that limited oxygen diffusion. Overall, the results highlight that both the homogenization technique and formulation composition must be optimized to balance physical and oxidative stability in chia/sunflower-BM emulsions, underscoring its potential for emulsion-based product development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":329,"journal":{"name":"Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies","volume":"108 ","pages":"Article 104410"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735166","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":"The efficacy of pulsed electric field (PEF) as a pre-treatment to recover antioxidant polyphenols from red clover (Trifolium pratense L.)","authors":"Emily P. Verhulst ,&nbsp;Nigel P. Brunton ,&nbsp;Dilip K. Rai","doi":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104415","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104415","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pulsed electric field was employed as a pre-treatment to enhance the recovery yield of bioactive flavonoids and polyphenols from fresh red clover plants (<em>Trifolium pratense</em> L.), a legume crop rich in health-promoting isoflavones. Plants were pre-treated with electrical field strength (1, 1.7 and 2 k Volts per centimetre) with corresponding total specific energy inputs (15, 23, 30 kJ/kg) using the DIL high voltage pulsed 10 kw modular treatment system. Pre-treated samples were extracted using optimised extraction conditions (80 % ethanol, at 40 °C for 45 min). The extracts were analysed for total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant activities, followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis. The treatment 1 kV/cm and 15 kJ/kg enhanced total phenolic content to 15.27 ± 0.59 mg of gallic acid equivalents per gram of dry extract (mg GAE/g DE), an 15.68 % increase compared to the control (13.05 ± 4.08 mg GAE/g DE, <em>p</em> = 0.093), while also maintaining total flavonoid content (9.94 ± 3.37 mg quercetin equivalents/g DE, <em>p</em> = 0.085). Ultra performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry analysis identified and quantified thirty-eight polyphenols, with the characteristic red clover flavonoids, notably biochanin A, daidzein, formononetin and cyanidin as dominant compounds in the treated extracts. Collectively, pre-treatment may enhance the efficiency of recovering antioxidant compounds from crops, like red clover. The application of low-energy PEF treatments (15 kJ/kg) successfully and significantly enhanced the extraction of phenolic compounds in fresh red clover, demonstrating its potential as a successful processing technology for recovering valuable bioactive compounds from underutilised agricultural crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":329,"journal":{"name":"Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies","volume":"108 ","pages":"Article 104415"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145837199","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":"Investigation on enhanced antimicrobial activity and bactericidal mechanism of photoactivated luteolin against Listeria monocytogenes","authors":"Yue Feng ,&nbsp;Ying Yang ,&nbsp;Yuzhang Zhu ,&nbsp;Shuyao Zhao ,&nbsp;Khalfan Khalfan Mohd ,&nbsp;Cen Li ,&nbsp;Jing Jin ,&nbsp;Lincheng Zhang ,&nbsp;Shuoqiu Tong ,&nbsp;Yongjun Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104414","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104414","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the antimicrobial mechanism of the natural flavonoid luteolin (LUT) as a novel photosensitizer in photodynamic inactivation (PDI) against <em>Listeria monocytogenes</em> (LM). Following 8-h UV-A activation, luteolin (LUT-UV, 0.8 mg/mL) exhibited markedly improved antimicrobial activity, resulting in 99.93 ± 0.03 % bacterial inactivation after 4-h co-incubation with LM suspension (1 × 10⁸ CFU/mL), significantly higher the 87.77 % ± 0.89 % inactivation rate observed with LUT treatment alone. LUT-UV significantly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, enhanced bacterial membrane permeability, and aggravated intracellular content leakage. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations confirmed that LUT-UV treatment caused significant damage to LM cells, including membrane shrinkage and rupture. Furthermore, RT-qPCR analysis revealed that LUT-UV significantly downregulated genes associated with hemolytic toxicity and biofilm formation in LM. The pepper contamination model experiment demonstrated that LUT-UV could effectively eliminate LM contamination. This study confirmed that LUT functions as both a photosensitizer and photoreceptor in PDI, demonstrated its potential applications in cold chain systems, and provided theoretical foundations for developing efficient and safe natural compound-based sanitizers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":329,"journal":{"name":"Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies","volume":"108 ","pages":"Article 104414"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735104","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":"How suitable is a Tenebrio molitor oil produced via supercritical CO2 for food purposes? Assessment of nutritional indicators, process scale-up, and sustainability","authors":"Manuel Salgado-Ramos ,&nbsp;Albert Sebastià ,&nbsp;Gustavo Durazo ,&nbsp;Noelia Pallarés ,&nbsp;Victoria Capilla ,&nbsp;Miriam Benítez ,&nbsp;José V. Ros-Lis ,&nbsp;Francisco J. Barba","doi":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104419","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104419","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the searching for alternative, more sustainable ingredients for food sector, this study tackled the production of an oil derived from <em>Tenebrio molitor</em> (<em>TM</em>) by means of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) technology. Kinetic curves recorded by bench scale (BS) experiments assessed parameters as particle size distribution or the use of modifiers solvents (ethanol) in the supercritical phase, revealing a maximum degree of defatting above 90 %. While operations at pilot plant (up to 5.5 kg of <em>TM</em>) still afforded a distinguished yield (84 % defatting) by ruling out the use of doping agents. The produced oil at this level of operation showed a noticeable proportion of unsaturated fat (41 % oleic acid and 30 % linoleic acid) and a more than acceptable freshness being evaluated through peroxide index (15 meq O₂/kg oil) or acidity degree (2 %), which suggests the applicability of this oil as a novel food. To test the real suitability of this methodology, an environmental impact evaluation was conducted on pilot scale processes. Green chemistry performance metrics (GCPMs) revealed low environmental factor (EF, 0.19), high process mass productivity (PMP, 84.21 %) and eco-scale (83.10). Further, a Life-cycle Assessment (LCA) displayed an impact reduction in categories such as stratospheric ozone depletion, marine and freshwater eutrophication, and land use compared to the production of 1 kg of palm and soybean oil. Overall, the use of advanced technologies for process intensification, together with the process balance and sustainability, as well as the quality of the recovered product support the adoption of this protocol for its implementation in the food sector.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":329,"journal":{"name":"Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies","volume":"108 ","pages":"Article 104419"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788307","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":"Dragon fruit peel pigment extraction residue based intelligent and biodegradable film for indicating milk freshness","authors":"Liangting Deng,&nbsp;Qun Liu,&nbsp;Wuyin Weng,&nbsp;Yucang Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104418","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104418","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>pH-responsive intelligent films for food freshness monitoring have attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. In this study, dragon fruit peel was used to develop a new type of active and functional film. The film was prepared by using residues extracted from dragon fruit peel (RPP) as the matrix, Curcumin (Cur) as the active ingredient and ZnO-NPs as the antibacterial material. The effect of the incorporation of Cur and ZnO-NPs on the properties of the films was studied. The addition of Cur increased the oxidation resistance of the films (more than 90 %), and ZnO-NPs increased the bacteriostasis and hydrophobicity of the films (water contact angle (WCA):122.00°). The colorimetry response of the RPP/Cur/ZnO-NPs film was performed, and the color of the film changed from brown to tawny to yellow. These properties highlight the potential of the RPP/Cur/ZnO-NPs film for practical applications, indicating its potential applications as smart packaging materials for the food industry. Therefore, the RPP/Cur/ZnO-NPs composite film based on dragon fruit peel can be used to monitor the freshness of milk, and to a certain extent contribute to the sustainable value of dragon fruit by-products in the food industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":329,"journal":{"name":"Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies","volume":"108 ","pages":"Article 104418"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788310","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":"Tailoring kidney bean protein structure, function, antioxidant properties, and in vitro digestibility through pre- and post-extraction high-pressure microfluidization","authors":"Harshi Singhi,&nbsp;Oguz Kaan Ozturk","doi":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104425","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104425","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the effects of high-pressure microfluidization (HPM), applied at both pre- and post-extraction stages, on the structural, functional, <em>in vitro</em> digestion, and antioxidant properties of kidney bean protein (KBP) isolates. HPM significantly reduced particle size (between 18 and 62 %) and altered surface morphology, with post-extraction treatment yielding finer and more porous microstructures. SDS-PAGE confirmed that the polypeptide composition of KBP remained largely unaffected. Spectroscopic analyses, however, revealed conformational transitions, including slight reduction in β-sheet content, enhanced structural flexibility, intrinsic fluorescence quenching, and improved thermal stability. HPM also modified the free sulfhydryl content, reflecting alterations in disulfide bonding. Functionally, distinct advantages were observed depending on the treatment stage. At the highest applied pressure (175 MPa), compared to the control, post-extraction HPM enhanced solubility by 31.4 %, water-holding capacity by 107 %, foaming and emulsifying activity by 1.5-fold and 0.5-fold, respectively, while pre-extraction treatment predominantly improved oil-holding capacity (by 93 %) and surface hydrophobicity (by 271 %). Both approaches significantly improved total phenolic content (up to 152 %), antioxidant activity (up to 157 %) and <em>in vitro</em> digestibility (by 8 % in 2 h). Collectively, these findings demonstrate HPM as an effective non-thermal strategy to tailor the techno-functional attributes of KBP. The ability to selectively enhance functional traits depending on the processing stage underscores its potential for designing targeted plant-based formulations. Such versatility positions HPM as a promising tool for expanding the utilization of underexplored plant proteins in the development of sustainable, high-performance food systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":329,"journal":{"name":"Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies","volume":"108 ","pages":"Article 104425"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145837197","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":"Electron beam-modified protein interfaces enable controlled flavor release from structured emulsion gels","authors":"Xiaohui Ma ,&nbsp;Yan Yin ,&nbsp;Siqi Wang ,&nbsp;David Julian McClements ,&nbsp;Cuicui Ma ,&nbsp;Long Jin ,&nbsp;Xuebo Liu ,&nbsp;Fuguo Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104403","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ifset.2025.104403","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant-based delivery systems often face challenges in achieving controlled release of volatile essential oil flavors. In this study, dual-crosslinked pea protein isolate‑sodium alginate (PPI-SA) emulsion gels were developed using electron beam irradiation (EBI)-pretreated PPI combined with transglutaminase (TGase) and Ca²⁺ co-treatment. By precisely controlling the mixing sequence of PPI and SA, two distinct interfacial architectures for encapsulating peppermint essential oil (PEO) were constructed: (i) <em>layer-by-layer (LbL)</em> – formed by depositing successive layers of protein and polysaccharide; (ii) <em>interfacial complexed (IC)</em> – formed by simultaneously depositing protein-polysaccharide complexes. The emulsion gels were characterized for their physicochemical properties, structural features and flavor release kinetics using droplet size analysis, rheology, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and electronic nose (E-nose) measurements. The LbL-structured gels exhibited superior hardness and chewiness to the IC-structured ones, primarily due to Ca²⁺-induced alginate crosslinking, which strengthened the continuous phase. EBI-modified PPI enhanced water retention but reduced the rigidity of the gel matrix. In terms of release behavior, IC-structured gels showed faster PEO release (46.2 % and 49.0 % cumulative release for native and EBI-modified PPI at 120 min, respectively), mainly due to smaller droplets and reduced interfacial resistance. In contrast, LbL-structured gels achieved a more sustained release (33.9 % and 39.6 % at 120 min, respectively). GC–MS and E-nose analyses confirmed that EBI modification preserved key terpenoids while accelerating volatilization. These findings demonstrate that interfacial design and protein modification critically govern emulsion gel texture and flavor release, offering a novel strategy for designing flavor-controlled, plant-based food delivery systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":329,"journal":{"name":"Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies","volume":"108 ","pages":"Article 104403"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788305","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}