Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.6
5.3
Journals
Gels
Special Issues
Gels for Plant-Based Food Applications (2nd Edition)
share announcement

Gels for Plant-Based Food Applications (2nd Edition)

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2026 | Viewed by 4155

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Qiang Wang

grade E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Interests: plant protein; functional properties; gel structural analysis; gel processing methods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jinchuang Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Interests: plant protein; extrusion technology; gel structural analysis; plant-based foods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant-based foods are foods made from raw plant materials (including algae and fungi) or their products, as sources of protein, fat, etc., through a certain process. They may contain other ingredients with a similar texture, flavor, morphology, and quality characteristics to some animal-derived foods. Globally, consumers are becoming increasingly interested in plant-based foods for health, improved nutrition, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare reasons. From 2017 to 2019, the sale of plant-based foods grew by nearly 29%, and their market value reached about USD 4.98 billion. Recently, many commercial products have been developed, including plant-based meat products, dairy products, egg products, frozen drinks and ingredients, and other plant-based foods. Gels are polymeric materials that combine large amounts of water, air, or oil in their 3D networks and are widely used in food production. Gels made from proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids play a significant role in the quality improvement of plant-based foods. A comprehensive exploration of the network structure, gelation mechanism, and design of gels in plant-based foods is needed to construct plant-based foods with particular physicochemical, functional, and sensory properties. Thus, this Special Issue focuses on “Gels for Plant-based Food Applications”, including a wide range of gel processing methods, structural analyses, and property characterizations; plant-based food application; low- and high-moisture extrusion technology; shear cell technology; self-assembly; spinning (wet-spinning and electrospinning); and freeze-casting.

Prof. Dr. Qiang Wang
Dr. Jinchuang Zhang
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

  • proteins
  • polysaccharides
  • lipids
  • gel structural analysis
  • gel properties characterization
  • characterization methods
  • extrusion technology (especially high-moisture extrusion)
  • plant-based foods
  • quality improvement

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 4687 KB  
Article
Effects of CaCO3/NaHCO3 on Porous Structure and Quality Characteristics of Protein–Starch Gel Network Formed via Extrusion
by Feng Guo, Huan Zhou, Hui Hu, Anna Hu, Qiang Wang and Jinchuang Zhang
Gels 2026, 12(2), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12020180 - 20 Feb 2026
Viewed by 316
Abstract
CaCO3 and NaHCO3, respectively serving as chemical leavening agents, can promote the expansion of protein or starch extrudates, thereby forming a porous structure. However, the characteristics of this porous structure under the combined regulation of CaCO3 and NaHCO3 [...] Read more.
CaCO3 and NaHCO3, respectively serving as chemical leavening agents, can promote the expansion of protein or starch extrudates, thereby forming a porous structure. However, the characteristics of this porous structure under the combined regulation of CaCO3 and NaHCO3 remained unclear. The results indicated that increasing the proportion of NaHCO3 promoted the expansion of the extruded protein–starch gel network, with its expansion ratio significantly increasing from 2.29 to 3.17 (p < 0.05). This expansion resulted in larger pores, which corroborated the observed significant increase in water holding capacity (WHC). Conversely, an increase in the proportion of CaCO3 led to a denser porous structure accompanied by a reduction in WHC. Meanwhile, the extrudate with a CaCO3/NaHCO3 ratio of 0:2 exhibited the lowest hardness, measuring 8.87 N. As the proportion of NaHCO3 increased, the pH shifted toward the alkaline range. This increase in pH enhanced the flexibility of the protein structure, leading to a significant rise in the proportion of disordered structures in the protein secondary structure, such as random coil and β-sheet, which facilitated the formation of an elastic gel network. In conclusion, both CaCO3 and NaHCO3 significantly modulated the porous structure of the protein–starch gel network formed during extrusion. This provides a new perspective for investigating the relationship between the protein–starch gel network and the quality characteristics of extruded products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels for Plant-Based Food Applications (2nd Edition))
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 7470 KB  
Article
Unravelling the Deterioration Mechanism of the Coated Tofu Gel During Cold Storage: The Role of Protein Oxidation
by Saihua Sun, Xiaohu Zhou, Yang Liu, Xinrui Diao, Jian Zeng, Jie Chen, Fenfang Song, Xiangjun Li, Xiaojie Zhou, Hao Chen, Zhanrui Huang, Liangzhong Zhao, Dajun Yang and Xiangle Huang
Gels 2026, 12(2), 173; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12020173 - 15 Feb 2026
Viewed by 476
Abstract
Coated tofu is prone to spoilage and degradation during processing, storage, and transportation. As the material basis for gel of coated tofu, proteins determine coated tofu’s unique qualities, such as its colour, flavour, and texture. This study aimed to investigate the changes in [...] Read more.
Coated tofu is prone to spoilage and degradation during processing, storage, and transportation. As the material basis for gel of coated tofu, proteins determine coated tofu’s unique qualities, such as its colour, flavour, and texture. This study aimed to investigate the changes in the quality of coated tofu and the physicochemical properties of its proteins during cold storage (4 °C and 10 °C, 14 days), as well as the intrinsic correlations between these variables. Quality deterioration and protein structural changes were significantly slower at 4 °C than at 10 °C, with lower temperature effectively delaying quality loss. The results indicated that as storage time increased, the freshness of coated tofu declined, its textural properties significantly deteriorated, and the protein gel network structure became impaired. Meanwhile, the proteins underwent significant oxidative denaturation, characterized by a decrease in the free thiol group content and an increase in surface hydrophobicity. The tertiary structure exhibited unfolding and disruption, while the secondary structure transitioned from an ordered to a disordered state. Specifically, the contents of α-helixes and β-sheets decreased significantly, reaching 34.96% and 8.68%, respectively, after 14 days of storage at 4 °C. In contrast, the contents of β-turns and random coils increased to 30.11% and 26.25%, respectively, under the same storage conditions. The subunit bands of the 11S and 7S proteins gradually weakened, and the protein structure tended to loosen. Correlation analysis revealed that the oxidative denaturation, structural depolymerization, and reaggregation of proteins were highly significantly correlated with the textural breakdown and colour deterioration of coated tofu, which together contributed to the quality degradation of coated tofu during cold storage. The findings of this study provide fundamental data and technical support for the development of cold storage methods for coated tofu. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels for Plant-Based Food Applications (2nd Edition))
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

20 pages, 3157 KB  
Article
Enhancement of Foaming Performance of Oat Globulin by Limited Enzymatic Hydrolysis: A Study from the Viewpoint of the Structural and Functional Properties
by Yahui Zhu, Junlong Zhang, Xuedong Gu, Pengjie Wang, Yang Liu, Yingze Jiao, Lin Yang and Han Chen
Gels 2025, 11(8), 615; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11080615 - 6 Aug 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1593
Abstract
This study identified the optimal enzymatic treatment for improving the foaming characteristics of oat globulin, and alkaline protease was found to be the most effective enzyme. The impact of alkaline protease on the foaming properties and structural changes in oat globulin was explored. [...] Read more.
This study identified the optimal enzymatic treatment for improving the foaming characteristics of oat globulin, and alkaline protease was found to be the most effective enzyme. The impact of alkaline protease on the foaming properties and structural changes in oat globulin was explored. The results show that the foaming capacity of oat globulin hydrolysates is negatively correlated with surface hydrophobicity and positively correlated with the degree of hydrolysis. The results of circular dichroism (CD) and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) indicate that hydrolysis generated smaller, disordered peptides. Under equilibrium conditions at a 2% concentration, a reduction of 1.62 mN/m in surface tension and an increase of 3.82 μm in foam film thickness were observed. These peptides reduce surface tension between air and water, forming larger, thicker, and more stable foams. Compared to untreated oat globulin, the foaming capacity of hydrolyzed ones increased by 87.17%. Under comparable conditions, these findings demonstrate that limited hydrolyzed oat globulin exhibits potential as an effective plant-based foaming agent up to a degree of hydrolysis of 15.06%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels for Plant-Based Food Applications (2nd Edition))
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

20 pages, 3418 KB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review on Innovative Food Gelling Strategies for Sustainable Production of Meat Analogs and Restructured Meat
by AMM Nurul Alam, Abdul Samad, Ayesha Muazzam, So-Hee Kim, Chan-Jin Kim, Young-Hwa Hwang and Seon-Tea Joo
Gels 2026, 12(2), 147; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12020147 - 5 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1129
Abstract
The growing need for ecologically sound and ethical protein sources has contributed to the development of meat analogs (MAs) and restructured meat products (RMPs). Next generation MA and RMP production requires sustainable structuring techniques to imitate the physical, chemical, and sensory characteristics of [...] Read more.
The growing need for ecologically sound and ethical protein sources has contributed to the development of meat analogs (MAs) and restructured meat products (RMPs). Next generation MA and RMP production requires sustainable structuring techniques to imitate the physical, chemical, and sensory characteristics of conventional meat. Innovative gelling techniques are essential for attaining optimal texture, chewiness, and structural firmness in MAs and RMPs. Food gels can modulate water and fat retention, as well as the physical and mechanical characteristics of MA and RMP. Different gelling systems such as hydrogels, emulsion gels, oleogels, and hybrid gels contribute to texture formation, water and fat retention, juiciness, and structural integrity, which are essential for mimicking conventional meat. The role of gels as key structuring elements is integrated with advanced processing technologies such as high-moisture extrusion and 3D printing. This review discusses how protein, polysaccharide, lipid, and hybrid gelling techniques facilitate the development of MAs and RMPs with enhanced texture, sensory quality, nutritional value, and sustainability. Advanced structuring techniques, such as high-moisture extrusion, shear cell processing, and 3D printing, are explained regarding their integration of tailored gels (hydrogels, emulsion gels, oleogels, and hybrid gels) to fabricate imitated meat structures. Moreover, this article investigates the sensory and nutritional ramifications of various gelling techniques, spanning their role in juiciness and flavor composition. This review emphasizes significant research deficiencies and suggests more extensive future studies to facilitate the further development of economically viable and sustainable MAs and RMPs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels for Plant-Based Food Applications (2nd Edition))
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop