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Modification of Gels in Creating New Food Products

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A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025 | Viewed by 15097

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Anna Florowska

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Department of Food Technology and Assessment, Institute of Food Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
Interests: gels; hydrogels; emulsion; functional food ingredients; functional food; prebiotics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Tomasz Florowski

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Guest Editor

Department of Food Technology and Assessment, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warszawa, Poland
Interests: food gels, meat; functional meat products; pork
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Osvaldo H. Campanella

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Guest Editor

Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Interests: food science; rheology; self-assembled nanoparticles; polymer behavior
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue “Modification of Gels in Creating New Food Products” in Gels journal is dedicated to providing a comprehensive collection of recent advances in the field of food gels. Gels, being a semi-solid colloidal or polymer network, have various applications in food. Their properties and the various possibilities and options for their usage depend on the interactions between their components, mechanisms or conditions of gelation. The properties of gels can also be modified by polymer concentration, temperature, pH or iconic strength. The fact that many factors influence the characteristics of gels in food systems makes it possible to adapt their properties to the type of food product. Recent research on food gels focuses on the application of natural plant-origin polysaccharides or proteins as polymer components, the investigation of the gel formation mechanism, their properties and stability. New analytical methods are also being developed to study gels in food systems. By the act of creating new food products, producers are attempting to fulfill consumers’ requests and requirements. Thanks to their ability to immobilize large amounts of water, their low calorie density, appealing taste, and society-enhancing properties, gels are good materials for novel, functional food production. They can be some of the most in-demand low-calorie, pro-healthy, sustainable and zero-waste foods. Therefore, in the field of new product development, gels can play the following important roles: they are novel, biocompatible, biodegradable edible encapsulation materials; delivery agents for bioactive compounds; products that control digestive or retention properties; and are even substrates for 3D printing. Edible gels also have potential application in smart packaging, including biosensor-based packaging.

This Special Issue aims to present the research on the recent advances in novel food gels created by using novel ingredients and innovative methods of gel induction, as well as new methods for analyzing the properties of gels or products made with food gels.

Dr. Anna Florowska
Dr. Tomasz Florowski
Prof. Dr. Osvaldo H. Campanella
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

food gels
hydrogels
emulgels
oleogels
aerogels
natural biopolymers
food gel product design
functional food
control digestive or retention
gel property analysis
textural stability and sensory properties
smart packaging

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Related Special Issue

Novel Gels for Food Product Development in Gels (12 articles)

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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27 pages, 10710 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) Induction Parameters on the Formation and Properties of Inulin–Soy Protein Hydrogels

by Anna Florowska, Tomasz Florowski, Patrycja Goździk, Adonis Hilal, Hanna Florowska and Emilia Janiszewska-Turak

Gels 2024, 10(9), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10090570 - 31 Aug 2024

Viewed by 582

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) induction parameters on the formation and properties of inulin–soy protein hydrogels. Solutions containing 20 g/100 g of inulin and 3 or 6 g/100 g of soy protein isolate (3 SPI; 6 SPI) were subjected to HHPs of 150, 300, or 500 MPa for 5, 10, or 20 min. The HHP parameters had no significant impact on the effectiveness of hydrogel formation. In most cases, the time of solution pressurization had no significant effect on the characteristics of hydrogels. However, increasing the induction pressure from 150 to 300 MPa resulted in hydrogels with different characteristics being obtained, e.g., more flattened microstructure; higher stability (only 3 SPI); higher yield stress, firmness, and adhesiveness; and lower spreadability. These changes were more noticeable in the hydrogels with lower protein content. An increase in the induction pressure (to 500 MPa) did not result in a significant strengthening of the hydrogel structure. However, in the case of 6 SPI hydrogels, induction with a pressure of 500 MPa had an unfavorable effect on their stability. The results indicate that HHP (300 MPa) can be used as an effective method for strengthening the structure of inulin–protein hydrogels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modification of Gels in Creating New Food Products)

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17 pages, 2491 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Agavins and Agave Syrup Use in the Formulation of a Synbiotic Gelatin Gummy with Microcapsules of Saccharomyces Boulardii

by Liliana K. Vigil-Cuate, Sandra V. Avila-Reyes, Brenda H. Camacho-Díaz, Humberto Hernández-Sánchez, Perla Osorio-Díaz, Antonio R. Jiménez-Aparicio, Paz Robert and Martha L. Arenas-Ocampo

Gels 2024, 10(5), 299; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10050299 - 26 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1306

Abstract

Agavins are reserve carbohydrates found in agave plants; they present texture-modifying properties and prebiotic capacity by increasing the viability of the intestinal microbiota. Through its hydrolysis, agave syrup (AS) can be obtained and can be used as a sweetener in food matrices. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the variation in the content of agavins and AS on the physical, structural, and viability properties of Saccharomyces boulardii encapsulates incorporated into gelatin gummies. An RSM was used to obtain an optimized formulation of gelatin gummies. The properties of the gel in the gummy were characterized by a texture profile analysis and Aw. The humidity and sugar content were determined. A sucrose gummy was used as a control for the variable ranges. Alginate microcapsules containing S. boulardii were added to the optimized gummy formulation to obtain a synbiotic gummy. The viability of S. boulardii and changes in the structure of the alginate gel of the microcapsules in the synbiotic gummy were evaluated for 24 days by image digital analysis (IDA). The agavins and agave syrup significantly affected the texture properties (<1 N) and the Aw (>0.85). The IDA showed a change in the gel network and an increase in viability by confocal microscopy from day 18. The number of pores in the gel increased, but their size decreased with an increase in the number of S. boulardii cells. Agavins and cells alter the structure of capsules in gummies without affecting their viability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modification of Gels in Creating New Food Products)

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16 pages, 12518 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development and Physicochemical Characterization of Edible Chitosan–Casein Hydrogel Membranes for Potential Use in Food Packaging

by Andreas Karydis-Messinis, Christina Kyriakaki, Eleni Triantafyllou, Kyriaki Tsirka, Christina Gioti, Dimitris Gkikas, Konstantinos Nesseris, Dimitrios A. Exarchos, Spyridoula Farmaki, Aris E. Giannakas, Constantinos E. Salmas, Theodore E. Matikas, Dimitrios Moschovas and Apostolos Avgeropoulos

Gels 2024, 10(4), 254; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10040254 - 9 Apr 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1650

Abstract

The increasing global concern over plastic waste and its environmental impact has led to a growing interest in the development of sustainable packaging alternatives. This study focuses on the innovative use of expired dairy products as a potential resource for producing edible packaging materials. Expired milk and yogurt were selected as the primary raw materials due to their protein and carbohydrate content. The extracted casein was combined with various concentrations of chitosan, glycerol, and squid ink, leading to the studied samples. Chitosan was chosen due to its appealing characteristics, including biodegradability, and film-forming properties, and casein was utilized for its superior barrier and film-forming properties, as well as its biodegradability and non-toxic nature. Glycerol was used to further improve the flexibility of the materials. The prepared hydrogels were characterized using various instrumental methods, and the findings reveal that the expired dairy-based edible packaging materials exhibited promising mechanical properties comparable to conventional plastic packaging and improved barrier properties with zero-oxygen permeability of the hydrogel membranes, indicating that these materials have the potential to effectively protect food products from external factors that could compromise quality and shelf life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modification of Gels in Creating New Food Products)

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19 pages, 2626 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing the Quality of Low-Salt Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) Surimi Gel Using Psyllium Husk Powder: An Orthogonal Experimental Approach

by Muhammad Safeer Abbas, Lizhi Xia, Qiang Li, Yufeng Lu, Songkun Liu, Lin Lin and Jianfeng Lu

Gels 2024, 10(4), 247; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10040247 - 4 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1369

Abstract

Low-salt surimi production is crucial as it addresses health concerns related to sodium intake while maintaining the quality and shelf-life of seafood products. This research focused on optimizing the gelation conditions for silver carp surimi with the addition of psyllium husk powder at low salt concentrations (0.5% and 1%, w/w) to investigate the effects of psyllium husk powder concentration, temperature, and time on gel strength and water-holding capacity. The quality was assessed in terms of gel strength and water-holding capacity. Following a single-factor exploration, a three-level orthogonal experiment was designed to evaluate the influence of these three variables using a combined scoring system. Results indicated that psyllium husk powder levels between 0.1% and 0.3% (w/w) enhanced gel strength and water-holding capacity. The optimal conditions were identified as follows: 1% (w/w) NaCl with 0.2% (w/w) psyllium husk powder for 2.5 h at 35 °C, and 0.5% (w/w) NaCl with 0.3% (w/w) psyllium husk powder for 3 h at 35 °C. Texture profile analysis revealed that psyllium husk powder increased the hardness of the surimi gel, promoting myosin cross-linking and denser gel structure. Compared to traditional surimi gel, which relies on ionic bonds, the optimized gel showed higher levels of disulfide cross-linking and enhanced hydrophobic interactions, resulting in a stronger gel structure. Sensory evaluation suggested that surimi gels with psyllium husk powder were perceived as better than those without psyllium husk powder. The study concludes that selecting the appropriate psyllium husk powder quantity and thermal processing conditions based on salt concentration can significantly improve the quality of low-salt surimi gels. Error analysis using one-way ANOVA was performed on all experimental data and (p < 0.05) indicated the significant difference. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modification of Gels in Creating New Food Products)

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17 pages, 3477 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fabrication and Application of Turmeric Extract-Incorporated Oleogels Structured with Xanthan Gum and Soy Lecithin by Emulsion Template

by Su Jung Hong, Gye Hwa Shin and Jun Tae Kim

Gels 2024, 10(1), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10010084 - 22 Jan 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1626

Abstract

Turmeric extract (TE)-loaded oleogels (TE-OG) was fabricated by an emulsion template technique using xanthan gum (XG) and soy lecithin (SL) as oleogelators. The formulation for TE-OG was optimized using 0.32% XG, 1.2% SL, and 1.0% TE. The optimized TE-OG had a minimal particle size of 810.23 ± 10.68 nm as measured by the dynamic light scattering (DLS) method, and a high encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 96.62 ± 0.56%. Additionally, the optimized TE-OG exhibited a favorable zeta potential of -27.73 ± 0.44 mV, indicating the good stability of the TE-OG due to the electrostatic repulsion between particles. TE-OG formulated with 0.32% XG and 1.2% SL was subjected to frequency sweep testing to evaluate its solid-like rheological behavior. The oil-binding capacity (OBC) of TE-OG was consistently maintained above 99.99%. In vitro digestion of TE-OG demonstrated the potential of the emulsion template for controlled release, with less than 20% of the encapsulated curcumin being released in simulated gastric fluid (SGF), whereas nearly 70% was released in the simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). Moreover, TE-OG affected the rapid release of free fatty acids (FFAs), which have a positive effect on the digestion of triacylglycerols found in soybean oil (SO). TE-OG was further used as an alternative to commercial butter to produce pound cakes, and their rheological properties were compared to those of the pound cake prepared using commercial butter. The pound cake prepared using TE-OG showed a noticeable decrease in hardness from 10.08 ± 1.39 N to 7.88 ± 0.68 N and increased porosity, demonstrating the inherent capability of TE-OG to enhance the overall quality standards of bakery products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modification of Gels in Creating New Food Products)

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15 pages, 2981 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Different Prebiotics on the Gel Properties of Milk Protein and the Structural Features of Yogurt

by Dongdong Li, Mengxuan Lai, Pengjie Wang, Hairan Ma, Hongliang Li, Ran Wang and Xiuying Wu

Gels 2023, 9(11), 863; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels9110863 - 30 Oct 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2155

Abstract

The impact of prebiotics on the structural characteristics of yogurt is an important aspect of evaluating its functional properties. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of several commonly used prebiotics, including fructooligosaccharide (FOS), galactooligosaccharide (GOS), inulin (INU), polydextrose (PDX), and xylooligosaccharide (XOS), on the gel properties of milk protein and the structural features, with respect to the texture and rheology, of stirred yogurt during and after fermentation. The results revealed that the supplementation of INU, PDX, and XOS was involved in the construction of protein networks during fermentation, promoting a viscous and more elastic gel structure, due to the enhanced protein–water interactions. This resulted in a significant increase (p < 0.05) in structural stability (higher critical strain (γ_c) and greater thixotropy), firmness, cohesiveness, and rheology (G′ and G″) and a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the loss of yogurt during centrifugation. Conversely, the supplementation of GOS and FOS did not appear to be involved in the construction of the protein network and barely affected the rheological properties of the gel during fermentation. However, a significant increase (p < 0.05) in viscosity and firmness, and a slight decrease (p > 0.05) in loss during centrifugation were still observed in the yogurt. These findings could be useful for a comprehensive assessment of the application potential of these prebiotics in yogurt, when combined with their respective prebiotic properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modification of Gels in Creating New Food Products)

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15 pages, 6356 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Plant-Based Animal Fat Analog Produced by an Emulsion Gel of Alginate and Pea Protein

by Chong Teng and Osvaldo H. Campanella

Gels 2023, 9(5), 393; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels9050393 - 9 May 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3255

Abstract

As the market for plant-based meat analogs grows, the development of plant-based animal fat analogs has become increasingly important. In this study, we propose an approach by developing a gelled emulsion based on sodium alginate, soybean oil (SO), and pea protein isolate. Formulations containing 15% to 70% (w/w) SO were successfully produced without phase inversion. The addition of more SO resulted in pre-gelled emulsions with a more elastic behavior. After the emulsion was gelled in the presence of calcium, the color of the gelled emulsion changed to light yellow, and the formulation containing 70% SO exhibited a color most similar to actual beef fat trimming. The lightness and yellowness values were greatly influenced by the concentrations of both SO and pea protein. Microscopic images revealed that pea protein formed an interfacial film around the oil droplets, and the oil was more tightly packed at higher oil concentrations. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that lipid crystallization of the gelled SO was influenced by the confinement of the alginate gelation, but the melting behavior was like that of free SO. FTIR spectrum analysis indicated a potential interaction between alginate and pea protein, but the functional groups of SO were unchanged. Under mild heating conditions, gelled SO exhibited an oil loss similar to that observed in actual beef trims. The developed product has the potential to mimic the appearance and slow-rendering melting attribute of real animal fat. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modification of Gels in Creating New Food Products)

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Review

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13 pages, 832 KiB

Open AccessReview

Lecithin’s Roles in Oleogelation

by Joanna Harasym and Karol Banaś

Gels 2024, 10(3), 169; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10030169 - 27 Feb 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2317

Abstract

This manuscript analyzes the research considering the exploitation of lecithin in oleogelation. The main objective of the work was to gather, analyze, and extract from the existing research data the information that enables us to identify lecithin-dependent roles. Oleogelation is still under research, while using various oleogelators and structurants provides changes on different physico-chemical levels. Multivariable formulations do not facilitate the elucidation of the specific role of any of them. Lecithin, due to its complex structure, big molecule, and amphiphilic nature, can provide different functionalities in complex matrices like oleogels. Therefore, this review identifies and categorizes the functionality of lecithin in oleogelation into four main roles: 1. oleogelation facilitator; 2. structure-forming impact; 3. texturing agent; and 4. functionality provider. Also, the origin and structure-forming characteristics of lecithin, as well as a short summary of the oleogelation process itself, are presented. Our critical analysis allowed us to identify the roles of lecithin in the oleogelation process and categorized them as follows: oleogelator, emulsifier, structural organization facilitator, structural modifier, crystal characteristics modifier, self-assembly promoter, thermal behavior changer, hydrogen-bonded networks promoter, hydrogel structure modifier, texture and structural modifier, gel-like state promoter, oil capacity enhancer, functionality provider, shelf life extender, and bioavailability and bioaccessibility enhancer. Lecithin came out as an important and multifunctional compound whose applications in oleogelation need to be thoroughly pre-considered. It is crucial to grasp all the possible roles of used compounds to be able to predict the final functionality and characteristics of formed oleogel matrices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modification of Gels in Creating New Food Products)

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