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Gels
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Food Gel-Based Systems: Gel-Forming and Food Applications
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Food Gel-Based Systems: Gel-Forming and Food Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2025 | Viewed by 3468

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Buliyaminu Adegbemiro Alimi

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Guest Editor
Environmental Sustainability and Health Institute, Technological University Dublin, D24FKT9 Dublin, Ireland
Interests: hydrocolloids; food chemistry; food rheology; food gels
Dr. Da Chen

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Guest Editor
Department of Food Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
Interests: food gels; rheology; gel microstructure; plant and dairy proteins
Prof. Dr. Ana Bucić-Kojić

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, F. Kuhača 18, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia
Interests: bioactive compounds; extraction; encapsulation; food gels; bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds; upcycling of by-products from the agro-food industry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recent innovations in modern processing technology have transformed a number of scientific and industrial areas, including the food industry. Gels have attracted increasing interest in the food discipline due to their good biocompatibility, biodegradability, nutritional properties, and edibility. These food colloids exhibit applicative potential in domains where gel-based systems play a crucial role, such as encapsulation and the controlled release of bioactive compounds, the bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds during digestion, the structuring and stabilization of emulsions and foams, the development of meat substitutes, plant-based protein gels, dairy products, confectioneries, bakery products, and novel gel-based food products. The mechanism of gelation is determined by the gelling agent(s) and the conditions of gel formation. The incorporation of plant-based proteins, plant-based hydrocolloids, gums, and fibers to create healthier and sustainable gel-based products is explored. Novel formulations with enhanced functional properties, nutritional profiles, and reduced allergenicity are also investigated.

This Special Issue invites authors to contribute high-quality original research or review articles on the utilization of novel ingredients and formulations in the development of versatile food gels.

Dr. Buliyaminu Adegbemiro Alimi
Dr. Da Chen
Prof. Dr. Ana Bucić-Kojić
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

  • novel food-derived gels
  • encapsulation and delivery of bioactive compounds using gels
  • bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds
  • gel-based packaging and edible coatings
  • structure
  • processing technologies

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 6040 KiB  
Article
Spray-Drying Microencapsulation of Grape Pomace Extracts with Alginate-Based Coatings and Bioaccessibility of Phenolic Compounds
by Josipa Martinović, Rita Ambrus, Mirela Planinić, Gabriela Perković, Gordana Šelo, Ana-Marija Klarić and Ana Bucić-Kojić
Gels 2025, 11(2), 130; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11020130 - 11 Feb 2025
Viewed by 880
Abstract
Spray-drying is a common technique for the microencapsulation of bioactive compounds, which is crucial for improving their stability and bioavailability. In this study, the encapsulation efficiency (EE), physicochemical properties and in vitro bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds from spray-dried encapsulated phenol-rich extracts [...] Read more.
Spray-drying is a common technique for the microencapsulation of bioactive compounds, which is crucial for improving their stability and bioavailability. In this study, the encapsulation efficiency (EE), physicochemical properties and in vitro bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds from spray-dried encapsulated phenol-rich extracts of grape pomace, a winery waste, were evaluated. Sodium alginate alone (SA) or in a mixture with gum Arabic (SA-GA) or gelatin (SA-GEL) was used as a coating. SA-GEL achieved the highest EE (95.90–98.01%) and outperformed the intestinal release of phenolics by achieving a bioaccessibility index (BI) for total phenolic compounds of 37.8–96.2%. The release mechanism of phenolics from the microcapsules adhered to Fickian diffusion. Encapsulation significantly improved the BI of individual phenolics, with the highest BI values for gallocatechin gallate (2028.7%), epicatechin gallate (476.4%) and o-coumaric acid (464.2%) obtained from the SA-GEL microcapsules. Structural analysis confirmed amorphous matrices in all systems, which improved solubility and stability. These results suggest that encapsulation by spray-drying effectively protects phenolics during digestion and ensures efficient release in the intestine, which improves bioaccessibility. This study contributes to the understanding of biopolymer-based encapsulation systems, but also to the valorisation of grape pomace as a high-value functional ingredient in sustainable food processing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Gel-Based Systems: Gel-Forming and Food Applications)
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13 pages, 1643 KiB  
Article
Quality Characteristics and In Vitro Digestibility of Starch Gel in White Noodles Prepared with Short-Chain Glucan Aggregates (SCGA)
by Jae-Geun Park, Sang-Jin Ye, Seon-Min Oh, Jae-Sung Shin, Ji-Eun Bae, Hyun-Wook Choi and Moo-Yeol Baik
Gels 2025, 11(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11010006 - 26 Dec 2024
Viewed by 777
Abstract
Short-chain glucan aggregates (SCGA), a type of resistant starch (RS) Ⅲ, is produced by debranching amylopectin with pullulanase and inducing self-assembly. Despite its low digestibility and high RS content, SCGA has not been applied to real food systems, especially noodles. The objective of [...] Read more.
Short-chain glucan aggregates (SCGA), a type of resistant starch (RS) Ⅲ, is produced by debranching amylopectin with pullulanase and inducing self-assembly. Despite its low digestibility and high RS content, SCGA has not been applied to real food systems, especially noodles. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of low-digestible noodles using SCGA and to evaluate their quality characteristics and in vitro digestibility of starch gel. SCGA-noodles (SN) were prepared by substituting 0, 10, 20, and 25% of wheat flour with SCGA, and non-digestible maltodextrin (NMD) replaced 7% of the flour for comparison. Adding SCGA increased L- and b-values of the dough, resulting in a brighter appearance, while the NMD increased a-values. The substitution with SCGA weakened the gluten network, reducing dough and texture properties. Notably, cooked SN25 broke immediately in the tensile test, indicating substitution up to 20% is feasible in noodles. NMD7 formed sticky dough and showed extensive elongation without breaking. SN20 and SN25 significantly increased RS content and decreased the estimated glycemic index (eGI) compared to the control. However, NMD7 did not significantly reduce in vitro starch digestibility. In conclusion, this research confirmed the potential of SCGA as a low-digestible ingredient for noodles and other food applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Gel-Based Systems: Gel-Forming and Food Applications)
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21 pages, 2634 KiB  
Article
Effect of the Ratio of Protein to Water on the Weak Gel Nonlinear Viscoelastic Behavior of Fish Myofibrillar Protein Paste from Alaska Pollock
by Timilehin Martins Oyinloye and Won Byong Yoon
Gels 2024, 10(11), 737; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10110737 - 13 Nov 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1074
Abstract
The linear and nonlinear rheological behaviors of fish myofibrillar protein (FMP) paste with 75%, 82%, and 90% moisture content were evaluated using small-amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) and large-amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) tests. SAOS revealed pastes with 75% and 82% moisture exhibited solid-like behavior, [...] Read more.
The linear and nonlinear rheological behaviors of fish myofibrillar protein (FMP) paste with 75%, 82%, and 90% moisture content were evaluated using small-amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) and large-amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) tests. SAOS revealed pastes with 75% and 82% moisture exhibited solid-like behavior, characterized by higher storage modulus (G′) than loss modulus (G″), indicative of weak gel properties with a strong protein interaction. In contrast, the 90% moisture content showed more viscous behavior due to weakened protein–protein entanglements. The frequency exponent (n′ and n″) from the power law equation varied slightly (0.24 to 0.36), indicating limited sensitivity to changes in deformation rate during SAOS. LAOS tests revealed significant structural changes, with Lissajous–Bowditch curves revealing early nonlinearities at 10% strain for 90% moisture content. Decomposed Chebyshev coefficients (e3/e1, v3/v1, S, and T) indicated strain stiffening at lower strains for the 75% and 82% moisture pastes (i.e., < 50% strain for 75% and < 10% strain for 82%), transitioning to strain thinning at higher strains. Additionally, numerical model confirmed the predictability of the 3D printing process from the nonlinear rheological data, confirmed the suitability of the 75% and 82% moisture pastes for applications requiring structural integrity. These insights are essential for optimizing processing conditions in industrial applications. The findings suggest that the 75% and 82% moisture pastes are suitable for applications requiring structural integrity, while the 90% moisture paste is ideal for flow-based processes. These insights are essential for optimizing processing conditions in industrial applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Gel-Based Systems: Gel-Forming and Food Applications)
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