Food Biophysics最新文献

{"title":"Smart Multifunctional Biocomposite Films from Tamarind Seed Starch/Cotton Waste Fibre, and Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea) for Sustainable Food Packaging","authors":"Dharmendra Kumar,&nbsp;Vishal Srivastava,&nbsp;Dipayan Das","doi":"10.1007/s11483-026-10210-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11483-026-10210-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The growing environmental concerns about non-biodegradable plastic packaging have accelerated the development of sustainable, bio-based alternatives. In this study, a biodegradable biocomposite film was fabricated using tamarind seed powder (3% w/v) as the polymer matrix, reinforced with cotton waste fibres (5%—20% w/w), and incorporated with butterfly pea (<i>Clitoria ternatea</i>) flower powder (10%—40% w/w) as a natural antioxidant and pH-sensitive agent. The developed films were systematically characterised to evaluate their structural, thermal, mechanical, hydro-physical, optical, antimicrobial, pH-sensitivity, biodegradability, and intelligent properties. FTIR and XRD results suggested possible interactions between the polymer matrix and the reinforcing fibres, while SEM images revealed a rough surface and uniform dispersion of fillers within the matrix. The films exhibited improved thermal stability and enhanced barrier performance, with the water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) decreasing from 111.50 g/(m²/h) ± 5.27 g/(m²/h) (control) to 89.83 g/(m²/h) ± 2.83 g/(m²/h) for the optimised biocomposite film. Tensile strength improved from 6.97 MPa ± 1.15 MPa to 8.98 MPa ± 1.09 MPa upon reinforcement, although elongation at break decreased from 37.37% ± 1.21% to 30.21% ± 1.51%, indicating increased stiffness due to fibre incorporation. The films demonstrated antimicrobial activity against <i>S. aureus</i> and <i>E. coli</i>. The biocomposite films fully degraded within 20 days under natural soil burial conditions. Optical transparency was slightly reduced due to natural blue pigmentation of <i>Clitoria ternatea</i>; however, distinct colour changes were observed when the pH shifted from acidic to alkaline conditions with spoiling packed food, confirming pH-sensitivity of anthocyanins.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":564,"journal":{"name":"Food Biophysics","volume":"21 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148926193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"PLGA Encapsulated Ellagic Acid for Potential Food and Nutraceutical Applications: Synthesis, Characterization, In Vitro Digestion and Release Studies","authors":"Sanjay Kulle Gowda,&nbsp;Ravendra Pratap Singh,&nbsp;Asha Martin","doi":"10.1007/s11483-026-10213-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11483-026-10213-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Ellagic acid (EA), a major bioactive component of pomegranate peel, is known for its potent antioxidant properties and nutraceutical benefits. However, its translational potential is limited owing to its poor solubility and bioavailability. Nanoencapsulation using an appropriate carrier can improve the solubility, bioavailability, stability, and controlled release of bioactive compounds, thereby enhancing their physicochemical properties for food and nutraceutical applications. In this context, this study aimed to develop EA -loaded PLGA nanoparticles, both with and without polysorbate 80 coating, and to investigate their physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant potential, in vitro gastrointestinal digestion behavior, and release kinetics. The encapsulated EA nanoparticles obtained were within the 200 nm size range, exhibited desirable zeta potentials (-9.21 ± 1.47 mV vs. -11.47 ± 0.67 mV) and polydispersity indices (0.15 vs. 0.06) for uncoated and P80-coated NPs, respectively. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analyses revealed successful encapsulation. Antioxidant activity evaluation showed that activity was retained after encapsulation with 50.03 ± 0.54% and 41.79 ± 0.92% radical scavenging activity. Encapsulated nanoparticles exhibited biphasic release of EA following Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas model kinetics (about 90% release in 48 h). In vitro digestion studies showed that EA was predominantly released into intestinal fluid (uncoated 13.78 ± 0.61% and coated 2.67 ± 0.53%) compared to gastric fluid (uncoated 0.09 ± 0.003% and coated 0.09 ± 0.002%). Collectively, our results demonstrated the successful preparation of EA-encapsulated nanoparticles with favorable physicochemical properties, sustained release, favourable initial colloidal properties, and enhanced gastrointestinal stability, supporting their future applications in food and nutraceutical formulations.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":564,"journal":{"name":"Food Biophysics","volume":"21 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148926575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of Rice Variety on the Multiscale Physicochemical, Structural, and Morphological Properties of Rice Starch Modified by DBD Plasma","authors":"Riyanti Ekafitri,&nbsp;Yudi Pranoto,&nbsp;Djagal Wiseso Marseno,&nbsp;Achmat Sarifudin","doi":"10.1007/s11483-026-10204-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11483-026-10204-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Modification of rice starch using advanced plasma technology has emerged as a promising method to enhance its functionality for various food applications. This study investigated the effects of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma on rice starches from three varieties differing in amylose content: Paketih, Inpari Agritan, and Inpari Gemah. Following DBD plasma treatment at 10 kV for 20 min, the physicochemical, hydration, pasting, thermal, morphological, and structural characteristics of the starches were evaluated. Plasma treatment significantly increased apparent amylose content, carbonyl groups, water absorption, swelling power, and pasting properties. In addition, plasma treatment increased granule surface roughness. It also slightly decreased the relative crystallinity of the starch. These plasma-induced modifications were likely associated with plasma etching, starch chain depolymerization, oxidative reactions, and cross-linking, which altered starch structure and functionality. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) clearly differentiated native and plasma-treated starches and demonstrated that the response to DBD plasma treatment depended on amylose content. Paketih rice starch, which had the lowest amylose content, exhibited the most pronounced changes. These findings provide new insights into amylose-dependent plasma modification of rice starch and highlight the potential of DBD plasma as a green technology for food applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":564,"journal":{"name":"Food Biophysics","volume":"21 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148926574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization, Characterization, and Application of Soy Protein Isolate–Catechin Composite Microspheres in Emulsified Beef Balls","authors":"Muhammad Zain Ul Aabideen,&nbsp;Lijing Geng,&nbsp;Aqsa Shafique,&nbsp;Hang Fu,&nbsp;Wei Huang,&nbsp;Dan Wang,&nbsp;Dongsheng Jia,&nbsp;Ao Wang,&nbsp;Rong Qi,&nbsp;Mbinga Isequias Elamba Tertulliano,&nbsp;Zhou Wei","doi":"10.1007/s11483-026-10207-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11483-026-10207-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Although catechins are strong dietary antioxidants with proven health benefits, yet they are very sensitive and unstable under normal condition to be used in practical food applications. To address this, a food-grade delivery system was developed through pH-driven co-assembly of catechin (CAT) with soy protein isolate (SPI), forming composite microspheres without the addition of chemical solvents or crosslinkers. The final assembly pH was identified as the primary factor affecting encapsulation, achieving a loading of 62.01%. The resulting microspheres (~ 16.8 nm) were stable, with analyses confirming encapsulation via hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, alongside a crystalline-to-amorphous transition of catechin. This improved stability under heat, salt, and pH stress while preventing loss in antioxidant activity. When applied to emulsified beef balls, 1.0% SPI-CAT reduced cooking loss (27% to 21%), increased yield (78%), and improved texture without affecting sensory quality. By linking molecular-scale composite characterization directly to functional performance in a real meat matrix within a single study, these results highlight its potential as a plant-based ingredient for stabilizing bioactives in food systems.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":564,"journal":{"name":"Food Biophysics","volume":"21 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148837975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acorn (Quercus variabilis BL.) Shells Extract Alleviating Postprandial Blood Glucose Via α-amylase and α-glucosidase Inhibition and Starch Digestion Resistance","authors":"Zixuan Han,&nbsp;Nan Lin,&nbsp;Zongyao Liang,&nbsp;Xuchang Duan","doi":"10.1007/s11483-026-10199-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11483-026-10199-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Acorn (<i>Quercus variabilis</i> BL.) shells as by-product were rich in phenolic acids, flavonoids and triterpene, exhibiting inhibitory activity against carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes. This study investigated the inhibitory mechanism of acorn shells extract against α-amylase and α-glucosidase and evaluated its potential to modulate postprandial blood glucose. Enzyme inhibition assays demonstrated that ASE effectively inhibited both α-amylase and α-glucosidase, with IC₅₀ values of 0.352 and 0.0158 mg/mL, respectively. Enzymatic kinetics assays and spectroscopy revealed a mixed inhibition pattern, indicating that the extract interacted with both free enzymes and enzyme-substrate complexes. Fluorescence quenching and circular dichroism spectroscopy further showed that the extract bound to the enzymes primarily through hydrophobic interactions, resulting in conformational alterations characterized by enhanced tryptophan fluorescence quenching and a reduction in α-helical content. Subsequently, in vitro starch digestion test showed 25% extract-starch significantly reduced the starch digestibility (60.48%) after 120 min of digestion, while 5% extract-starch also delayed the digestion (60 min). Furthermore, starch and glucose tolerance tests in mice showed that the extract attenuated postprandial glycemic excursions, reducing peak blood glucose levels by 29.15% and 30.77% following starch and glucose loading, respectively. Collectively, these findings suggest that acorn shells extract alleviates postprandial hyperglycemia through multiple mechanisms, including inhibition of digestive enzymes, reduction of starch digestibility, and modulation of glucose handling in vivo. Acorn shell extract therefore represents a promising functional ingredient for the development of foods and nutraceuticals aimed at glycemic management.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":564,"journal":{"name":"Food Biophysics","volume":"21 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148838079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Functional and Smart Applications of Bee Products in Gastronomy: From Food Enhancers to Edible Coatings","authors":"Rodica Mărgăoan,&nbsp;Alexandru Nicolescu,&nbsp;Burcu Aydoğan,&nbsp;Mihaiela Cornea-Cipcigan,&nbsp;Leonora Adamchuk,&nbsp;Ralitsa Balkanska,&nbsp;Sorin Daniel Dan,&nbsp;Nicodim Fiț,&nbsp;Erkan Topal,&nbsp;Alexandra Tăbăran","doi":"10.1007/s11483-026-10209-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11483-026-10209-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Bee products (i.e., honey, bee pollen, bee bread, beeswax, propolis, bee brood, and royal jelly) present significant potential as functional ingredients, in conjunction with their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. As such, they are valuable natural alternatives to synthetic additives in food preservation and enhancement systems. Recent trends in food processing technology demonstrate the incorporation of bee products for innovative gastronomic applications, emerging as powerful functional ingredients in the enrichment of sensorial, nutritional, and preservative properties of foods. The development of bee product-based smart edible coatings is a breakthrough in sustainable food packaging practices, providing enhanced mechano-functional properties to the food matrix (i.e., regulation of oxygen and water vapor exchange, preservation and protection, flexibility and elasticity). Especially being represented by biopolymer-based matrices, these multifunctional innovations can be employed for superior storage and elongation of shelf-life for fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, and fish. Despite this existing potential for revolutionizing gastronomic applications, bee products present several limitations which must be addressed. This review aimed to research bee products’ integration into modern gastronomic systems, in the context of environmental issues and rapidly changing consumer preferences, while offering a base for solving future limitations and issues.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":564,"journal":{"name":"Food Biophysics","volume":"21 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11483-026-10209-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148837972","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"New Approaches for Monitoring Edible Coating Quality Using Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) and Chemometrics","authors":"Yasmin Lima Brasil,&nbsp;Giulia Gorla,&nbsp;Darlei G. D. B. Oliveira,&nbsp;Pamela Sanhueza-Novoa,&nbsp;José Manuel Amigo,&nbsp;Douglas Fernandes Barbin","doi":"10.1007/s11483-026-10208-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11483-026-10208-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Preserving fruit quality after harvest presents a major challenge for the food industry, and edible coatings are increasingly proposed as sustainable alternatives to synthetic packaging materials. This work offers a concise review of recent advances in edible coatings for fruit preservation, along with an experimental demonstration of near-infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) as a non-destructive method to assess coating effectiveness during storage. A bibliometric analysis and review of literature from 2020 to 2025 show a rising focus on polysaccharide- and protein-based coatings enriched with natural additives to improve barrier and antimicrobial properties. Additionally, an example is presented involving strawberries coated with an edible formulation of cassava starch, cellulose, and oregano essential oil, monitored over a ten-day period using NIR-HSI (996–2505 nm). Multivariate analysis (principal component analysis (PCA), K-means clustering (K-means), multivariate curve resolution – alternating least squares (MCR-ALS), and partial least squares – discriminant analysis (PLS-DA)), was applied to characterize coating integrity and fruit deterioration over time and across sample surface. The results show that NIR-HSI effectively distinguishes between coated and uncoated samples, measures moisture loss, and tracks enzymatic browning, with spectral changes closely linked to storage duration. The study underscores the potential of NIR-HSI as a promising approach for real-time, noninvasive monitoring of fruit freshness and edible coating, providing valuable insights for sustainable postharvest management and smart packaging solutions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":564,"journal":{"name":"Food Biophysics","volume":"21 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11483-026-10208-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148837973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Kinetic and Oxidative Stability of Oil-in-Water Pickering Emulsions Stabilized by Lysozyme-Ferulic Acid Conjugates","authors":"Bruno Sérgio Toledo Barbosa,&nbsp;Carlos Eduardo de Souza Teodoro,&nbsp;Edwin Elard Garcia-Rojas","doi":"10.1007/s11483-026-10212-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11483-026-10212-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The demand for ingredients with natural appeal has driven the development of multifunctional natural emulsifiers. This study aimed to synthesize covalent conjugates of lysozyme (LYS) and ferulic acid (FA) via a free radical reaction and investigate their application in stabilizing soybean oil Pickering emulsions. Conjugate formation was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, indicating alterations in the protein’s tertiary structure. The LYS-FA conjugate exhibited techno-functional properties superior to native lysozyme, including higher emulsifying capacity and antioxidant activity, with inhibition values above 74% for both DPPH and ABTS. Furthermore, in vitro digestion studies demonstrated that conjugation protected FA from degradation in the gastric phase. Oil-in-water Pickering emulsions were prepared with different conjugate concentrations from 2 to 4% w/w in the aqueous phase. The formulation with 4% LYS-FA resulted in an excellent kinetic stability, showing no creaming for 8 days. Rheology revealed pseudoplastic behavior with a predominantly elastic character, where G’ was higher than G’’, suggesting the formation of a robust network at the interface. In addition to physical stability, the Pickering emulsions significantly retarded the primary and secondary lipid oxidation of the encapsulated soybean oil compared to the control, attributed to the interfacial barrier and antioxidant action formed by the conjugate. These results suggest that LYS-FA conjugates are promising candidates as emulsifiers with good techno-functional properties and antioxidant capacity for applications in the food industry.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":564,"journal":{"name":"Food Biophysics","volume":"21 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11483-026-10212-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148837971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Surfactant-Based Swollen Micelles Loaded with Oregano and Thyme Essential Oils as Aqueous Functional Ingredients: Colloidal Stability, Gastrointestinal Behavior, and Biological Activity","authors":"Agustina Delmonte,&nbsp;Flavia F. Visentini,&nbsp;Florencia M. M. Franco,&nbsp;Emilia Hick,&nbsp;Patricia G. Burns,&nbsp;Liliana G. Santiago,&nbsp;Adrián A. Perez","doi":"10.1007/s11483-026-10206-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11483-026-10206-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The encapsulation of essential oils (EOs) in nanostructured delivery systems represents a promising strategy to improve their dispersion and stability in aqueous environments. In this study, oregano (ore-EO) and thyme (thy-EO) EOs were encapsulated in Tween 80/ethanol based swollen micelles (SMs), reaching final EO loadings of 0.17% and 0.21% (w/w), respectively. EO-loaded SMs showed nanometric sizes ranging from 9 to 18 nm, and remained colloidally stable after exposure to temperature, ionic strength, dilution, pH, and centrifugation stress. After in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, EO-loaded SMs formed intestinal micellar structures with diameters of 69 ± 2 nm for ore-EO and 58 ± 3 nm for thy-EO. Ore-EO showed higher digestive stability and effective bioaccessibility than thy-EO, with values of 93 ± 3% and 94 ± 8%, respectively, compared with 61 ± 3% for both parameters in thy-EO systems. The digested micellar phase retained antioxidant activity, reaching 4.5 ± 0.4 and 3.4 ± 0.3 mg Trolox mL⁻¹ for ore-EO and thy-EO SMs, respectively. Free EOs inhibited all tested <i>Candida</i> spp. strains at 0.5 mg mL⁻¹, whereas encapsulated EOs showed MIC values of 0.5–1.0 mg mL⁻¹ for ore-EO and 0.5–2.0 mg mL⁻¹ for thy-EO, indicating that micellar incorporation reduced the immediate availability of active compounds. In general, these findings indicate that surfactant-based SMs are effective systems for the solubilization and stabilization of EOs, enabling their incorporation into aqueous environments and maintaining their bioactive properties, while modulating their antifungal activity.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":564,"journal":{"name":"Food Biophysics","volume":"21 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148783220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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 pH and Temperature Shape β-Lactoglobulin Binding to Vanillin, Caffeine and Gallic Acid","authors":"Hilal Yılmaz,&nbsp;Merve Aksoy Dirim,&nbsp;Beytullah Tatar,&nbsp;Hasan Ufuk Celebioglu","doi":"10.1007/s11483-026-10205-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11483-026-10205-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Understanding the interaction of β-lactoglobulin (BLG) with food-derived bioactives is important for designing functional dairy formulations and protein-based delivery systems. This study evaluated the binding behavior of BLG with vanillin (VAN), caffeine (CAF), and gallic acid (GA) at pH 3 and 7 and temperatures of 298, 310, and 318 K using fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All ligands caused concentration-dependent fluorescence quenching, suggesting interaction with BLG. At pH 7 and 318 K, Stern–Volmer constants (K_SV) were 43.3 × 10³, 10.3 × 10³, and 10.2 × 10³ M⁻¹ for VAN, CAF, and GA, respectively, indicating stronger quenching efficiency for VAN. Binding constants (K_a) reached 65 × 10³ M⁻¹ for VAN and 83 × 10³ M⁻¹ for GA, whereas CAF showed lower affinity (4 × 10³ M⁻¹). In general, binding affinity decreased under acidic conditions, demonstrating the sensitivity of BLG–ligand interactions to environmental pH. Thermodynamic analysis indicated that VAN–BLG and GA–BLG associations were mainly driven by hydrophobic interactions, whereas CAF binding was dominated by hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces. CD spectra revealed minor structural alterations of BLG upon ligand binding, with slightly greater spectral changes observed for GA, particularly at pH 3. SEM analysis showed distinct dried-state morphologies depending on ligand type. These findings demonstrate that ligand structure, pH, and temperature strongly regulate BLG binding behavior and highlight the potential of BLG as a tunable carrier matrix for stabilization and delivery of selected bioactive compounds in dairy-based systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":564,"journal":{"name":"Food Biophysics","volume":"21 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148782925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}