{"title":"Formation mechanism of thermomechanically stabilized whey protein-pectin complexes: Contribution of pectin and protein to complex structure","authors":"Jessica M. Filla, Shirin Heck, Jörg Hinrichs","doi":"10.1016/j.foostr.2025.100412","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foostr.2025.100412","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Whey protein pectin complexes (WPPC) processed at the technical scale in the particle size range of 1–40 µm have the potential to be utilized as fat replacers. WPPC are formed via thermomechanical treatment at a specific pH level, which allows for the interaction between the biopolymers. In the pH range of 4.75 to 5.75, whey protein and pectin form coacervates or soluble complexes. The diverse interactions result in WPPC with particle sizes <em>d</em><sub><em>3.2</em></sub> between 0.2 and 40 µm after thermomechanical treatment on a scraped surface heat exchanger. The pectin contributes to the WPPC structure in three distinct forms, dependent on the pH, as determined via mass balance. The pectin is present in three forms: (i) 50–80 % free, (ii) 15–30 % electrostatically stabilized, and (iii) 5–10 % incorporated pectin. Approximately 20 % of the whey protein with particle sizes below 1 µm was electrostatically stabilized. The addition of pectin-degrading enzymes resulted in a multimodal particle size distribution, indicating that pectin is connecting larger aggregate structures. Based on the core-shell model, a revised model for the WPPC formation at the technical scale on a scraped surface heat exchanger is proposed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48640,"journal":{"name":"Food Structure-Netherlands","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100412"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143314300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jingyan Zhang , Ramy M. Khoder , Hong Yang , Tao Yin , Ru Liu , Juan You
{"title":"Recycled fish oil and lard: Influences on the textural and structural properties of Surimi Gels","authors":"Jingyan Zhang , Ramy M. Khoder , Hong Yang , Tao Yin , Ru Liu , Juan You","doi":"10.1016/j.foostr.2024.100405","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foostr.2024.100405","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined the impact and mechanisms of using recycled fish oil (FO) and lard (LA) regarding the gel characteristics of surimi. It examined changes in surimi gel properties, moisture distribution, and microstructure with varying additions of FO and LA. Adding FO and LA to surimi gels reduced textural properties and gel strength, while increasing water-holding capacity (WHC), and whiteness. The FO and LA groups' G' and G′' values were lower than those of the control group, with the LA group exhibiting a higher G′ value than the FO group. Microstructural analysis showed that the oil droplets of LA group were shaped irregularly and had larger particle sizes. In contrast, the FO was more uniformly distributed within the surimi gel network. Results showed that oil changes affect the structural and physicochemical properties of surimi gels. Furthermore, FO exerted a milder impact on the surimi gel network and preserved superior gel properties compared to LA. This suggests that FO could be a valuable ingredient for producing nutrient-enriched surimi-based products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48640,"journal":{"name":"Food Structure-Netherlands","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100405"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143180457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jianyi Li , Sarina Bao , Fang Zhong , Renjiao Han , Caiyun Wang , Jian He , Yixun Xia
{"title":"Regulating texture quality in intermediate moisture foods: A comparative study on the impact of various sugar substitutes during storage","authors":"Jianyi Li , Sarina Bao , Fang Zhong , Renjiao Han , Caiyun Wang , Jian He , Yixun Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.foostr.2025.100414","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foostr.2025.100414","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study systematically explored the effects of five sugar substitutes—sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, psicose, and tagatose—on the texture stability of dried milk bars, an intermediate-moisture food, during storage at 25 °C for four months. Compared to sucrose, all sugar substitutes enhanced texture stability by mitigating hardening. Xylitol and sorbitol exhibited superior plasticizing properties, likely minimizing moisture migration and phase separation, contributing to a softer texture and significantly reduced hardening throughout storage. Notably, xylitol while modulating starch-lipid interactions. Maltitol shows the most similar texture changes to sucrose; however, its strong intramolecular hydrogen bond strength effectively inhibits starch retrogradation, keeping the overall hardness during storage consistently lower than those of sucrose. Tagatose and psicose undergo Maillard reactions, leading to a harder texture, especially in the later stages of storage. Nevertheless, compared to sucrose, the anti-crystallization properties of tagatose and psicose result in smaller changes in food structure during storage. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms through which sugar substitutes influence texture stability in intermediate-moisture foods and highlight their potential for improving product quality during storage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48640,"journal":{"name":"Food Structure-Netherlands","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100414"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143454075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Saqib Gulzar , Mohamed Tagrida , Olga Martín-Belloso , Robert Soliva-Fortuny
{"title":"Impact of tannic acid addition on the structural and functional properties of soy protein-based high-moisture extruded meat analogues optimized using artificial intelligence","authors":"Saqib Gulzar , Mohamed Tagrida , Olga Martín-Belloso , Robert Soliva-Fortuny","doi":"10.1016/j.foostr.2025.100407","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foostr.2025.100407","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the impact of tannic acid (TA) incorporation on the structural and functional properties of soy protein concentrate-based high-moisture meat analogues (SPC-HMMA) that had been obtained by extrusion. Advanced artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies were employed to optimize the texture and cooking quality of these plant-based products. Texture profile analysis (TPA) revealed that hardness values increased from 3893 ± 308 g at 0 % TA to 7018 ± 341 g at 2 % TA, while cutting strength values ranged from 1754 ± 134 g crosswise at 0 % TA to 5951 ± 544 g at 2 % TA. Moisture content also played a significant role in the textural properties of the SPC-HMMA, with lower moisture yielding harder and chewier analogues. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) visualized alterations in the microstructure while FTIR spectroscopy and deconvolution analysis indicated significant alterations in protein secondary structure. Techno-functional properties including cooking yield (CY), water absorption capacity (WAC), and oil absorption capacity (OAC) were assessed. CY decreased from 168.54 ± 2.12 % to 142.56 ± 1.5 %, WAC increased from 400.79 ± 5.64 % to 454.67 ± 5.27 %, while OAC peaked at moderate TA levels. Meat analogues also showed antioxidant properties in a dose-dependent manner with TA incorporation. AI-driven optimization identified ideal combinations of TA and moisture content to match the texture properties of chicken and beef analogues.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48640,"journal":{"name":"Food Structure-Netherlands","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100407"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143180458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of high-intensity ultrasound on the development of phytosterol-based oleogels","authors":"Thais Lomonaco Teodoro da Silva , Sabine Danthine","doi":"10.1016/j.foostr.2025.100408","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foostr.2025.100408","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Oil structuration offers an alternative to high saturated fats and has gained significant attention over the past decade. Phytosterols present a promising option as oleogelators due to their low saturated fat content and health benefits. However, they struggle to effectively structure liquid oils at low concentrations. High-Intensity Ultrasound (HIU) has shown potential to enhance oleogels physical properties through cavitation. This study aims to use phytosterols to create oleogels in rapeseed oil, both with and without HIU, and assess their physical properties. Commercial sterols (10 %w/w) were mixed with rapeseed oil. One sample served as a control without HIU, while others were treated with HIU at various amplitudes and durations. After 24 hours at 20°C, samples were analyzed for microscopy, oil binding capacity, melting behavior, polymorphism, hardness, viscosity, and viscoelasticity. HIU produced a single melting peak, reduced crystal size, and decreased oil loss. It also enhanced hardness, viscosity, and viscoelasticity, with significant improvements observed primarily in samples sonicated for longer durations (10 s), regardless of amplitude. The most notable results were from a 10 s pulse treatment (5 s ON/5sOFF/5sON) at 50 % amplitude, which maintained the oleogel stability for 30 days without phase separation. Thus, HIU is a viable, eco-friendly method to enhance phytosterol oleogels physical properties, allowing for effective oil structuration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48640,"journal":{"name":"Food Structure-Netherlands","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100408"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143180459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Understanding the structure and functionality of third-generation rice flour snacks enriched with grape pomace flour","authors":"Migdalia Arazo-Rusindo , Mauricio Oyarzún , Carolina Moreno , Pedro Bouchon","doi":"10.1016/j.foostr.2025.100413","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foostr.2025.100413","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Extrusion can yield expanded products or non-expanded pellets, which are later expanded in a separate thermal device to form third-generation (3 G) snacks. In both processes, ingredient effects on structure formation and functional ingredient retention are challenging. This study analyzed the effect of adding 0–15 % grape pomace flour (GPF), a by-product of the wine industry, to rice flour pellets extruded at maximum temperatures of 110 and 150 °C using twin-screw extrusion and then microwave-expanded (30 s at 480 W), to understand the relationship between microstructural parameters of 3 G snacks and their physical and textural properties, total polyphenol content (TPC), and antioxidant capacity. Results showed that adding GPF increased bulk density (from 0.12 to 0.39 g/cm<sup>3</sup>), hardness (from 29.5 to 37.59 N), and crispness, while decreasing the expansion index (from 1.83 to 1.65). Micro-CT analysis revealed that extrusion temperature did not affect microstructural parameters, but high GPF levels (15 %) reduced porosity and mean pore size, and increased wall thickness. Extrusion reduced the initial TPC in pellets by up to 52 %, but microwave expansion increased it by up to 37 %, likely due to polyphenol release from the dense glassy matrix of the pellets. These findings highlight the potential for creating nutritionally enhanced 3 G snacks using agricultural by-products like GPF and underscore the importance of a microstructural approach in the analysis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48640,"journal":{"name":"Food Structure-Netherlands","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100413"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143446047","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Malondialdehyde and peroxyl radical-driven oxidation of myofibrillar proteins to improve the gelation and emulsification properties","authors":"Ran Wei , Zicong Wan , Xiaoyan Xu , Xingguo Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.foostr.2025.100410","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foostr.2025.100410","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>During meat processing, the oxidation of fats and oils generates peroxyl radicals (ROO·) and malondialdehyde (MDA) which influence the gelation and emulsification properties of myofibrillar protein (MP). In this study, we investigated molecular structural changes and alterations in the functional properties of MPs induced by oxidation with MDA and ROO·. The results revealed that oxidation significantly increased the levels of di-tyrosine and carbonyl groups, and led to an initial reduction, followed by an increase, in average particle size (<em>P</em> < 0.05). Spectroscopic analysis indicated that mild oxidation induced structural stretching in MPs, exposing internal hydrophobic groups and enhancing surface hydrophobicity. Additionally, the α-helix content of MPs decreased from 43.62 % and 44.12–31.69 % and 33.87 %, respectively. Our findings revealed that an optimized oxidative environment can significantly enhance the rheological properties, cooking loss and WHC of MPs. Specifically, gel hardness exhibited a biphasic response to oxidation, initially decreasing at low levels of oxidation and subsequently increasing as oxidation intensified. Furthermore, moderate oxidation by MDA and ROO· was found to improve both the emulsifying activity (EAI) and emulsifying stability (ESI) indexes of MPs, suggesting potential applications in enhancing the texture and stability of processed meat products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48640,"journal":{"name":"Food Structure-Netherlands","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100410"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143561947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Muhammad Faiz Bin Muhd Faizal Abdullah Tan , Oni Yuliarti , Adeline Ik Chian Wong , Jerome Jie Long Wong
{"title":"Structural and in vitro starch digestion of wheat flour noodles by calcium mediated gelation of low methoxyl pectin","authors":"Muhammad Faiz Bin Muhd Faizal Abdullah Tan , Oni Yuliarti , Adeline Ik Chian Wong , Jerome Jie Long Wong","doi":"10.1016/j.foostr.2024.100394","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foostr.2024.100394","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The effects of pectin addition with low degree esterification on wheat noodles’ physicochemical properties such as texture and <em>in vitro</em> starch digestibility were investigated. Wheat flour was incorporated with low methoxyl pectin (LMP) at five levels: 0 %, 0.5 %, 1 %, 2 % and 4 % w/w in calcium fortified wheat noodles. As LMP incorporation increased to 4 % w/w, noodle water absorption declined, due to formation of LMP gels. Noodles textural results revealed an increase in hardness, gumminess, cohesiveness and adhesiveness due to the increase in noodle thickness which corresponded well with noodle microstructure results. Rheological measurements showed an increase in wheat noodle viscoelastic properties as a result of addition of LMP. Similar results are also shown on the pasting profiles, where peak, trough and final viscosity were raised with the incorporation of LMP. Overall findings showed the incorporation of LMP was able to lower the <em>in vitro</em> starch digestibility, where addition of 2 % w/w resulted in the highest reduction. These results successfully indicated the LMP’s potential to be used as an ingredient in carbohydrate dense foods such as wheat noodle to retard starch digestion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48640,"journal":{"name":"Food Structure-Netherlands","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100394"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142420494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
N.I. Salgarella , A. Bonciolini , V. Glicerina , M. Greco Miani , H.D. Tatar , V. Cardenia
{"title":"Durum wheat oil oleogels: A study on rheological, thermal, and microstructural properties","authors":"N.I. Salgarella , A. Bonciolini , V. Glicerina , M. Greco Miani , H.D. Tatar , V. Cardenia","doi":"10.1016/j.foostr.2024.100397","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foostr.2024.100397","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Durum wheat oil (WO) is a by-product obtained during wheat milling process characterized by higher amount of bioactive compounds. In recent years, oleogelification, a novel technique to structure oils was developed to replace saturated and <em>trans</em> fats. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performances of WO to obtain stable oleogels using two natural waxes (beeswax BW and carnauba wax CW) at different ratio (4, 7 and 8 %, <em>w/w</em>) respect to sunflower oil (SO) used as control. Oleogels were analyzed for fundamental rheological properties, microstructure and oil loss. Results showed as a concentration below 7 %, weak networks were observed for all samples because the predominance of viscous moduli (G’’) over elastic ones (G’) and high oil loss. Nevertheless at 8 % of waxes, stability in terms of all analyzed parameters was highlighted for all samples (WO_BW showed the lowest). Moreover, WO samples with 7 % and 8 % of CW displayed very high stability in terms of all considered parameters, also at high temperatures, showing strong networks and reaching the optimum solid-like gel without significant differences respect to SO one. Obtained results highlighted the WO ability to be employed, as alternative to SO to develop oleogels with optimal performances and stability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48640,"journal":{"name":"Food Structure-Netherlands","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100397"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142526539","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Grafted egg white protein-stabilized Pickering emulsions mediated by saccharide: Enhancing freeze-thaw stability and delayed release of curcumin from digestion","authors":"Jiayi Li , Nan Xiao , Shanguang Guo , Minmin Ai","doi":"10.1016/j.foostr.2024.100402","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foostr.2024.100402","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To improve the freeze-thaw stability of the emulsion, a Pickering emulsion stabilized by grafted protein was prepared and characterized through blending with hyaluronic acid (HA) and trehalose (TH). The results indicated that HA crosslinked with proteins to form a surface coating on the droplets. TH prevented aggregation by imparting spatial repulsion, when combined with HA, resulted in a significant reduction in emulsion particle size from 35.95 μm to 22.99 μm. The emulsion showed well stability against droplet flocculation after freeze-thaw cycles. Microstructural observation revealed that the cross-linking of HA and TH inhibited the ice crystal damage. In-vitro digestive characterization indicated that HA and TH prevented digestive enzymes from destroying the droplet structure, realising efficient delivery of curcumin. Among them, the bioaccessibility and stability of curcumin were improved by 8.19 % and 15.25 %. Moreover, <sup>1</sup>HNMR analysis demonstrated that the stabilization of HA and TH at the oil-water interface improved the antioxidant properties of the emulsion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48640,"journal":{"name":"Food Structure-Netherlands","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100402"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142697931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}