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Gels
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Food Gel-Based Systems: Gel-Forming and Food Applications (2nd Edition)
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Food Gel-Based Systems: Gel-Forming and Food Applications (2nd Edition)

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 July 2026 | Viewed by 1059

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Buliyaminu Adegbemiro Alimi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Environmental Sustainability and Health Institute, Technological University Dublin, D24FKT9 Dublin, Ireland
Interests: hydrocolloids; food chemistry; food rheology; food gels
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Ana Bucić-Kojić

E-Mail Website
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 Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Mirela Planinić

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, F. Kuhača 18, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia
Interests: food technology; antioxidant; phenolic-rich extracts; microorganisms; drying; encapsulation

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 food-related disciplines 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 through 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
Prof. Dr. Ana Bucić-Kojić
Prof. Dr. Mirela Planinić
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

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

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 8026 KB  
Article
Ultrasound-Assisted Maillard Glycosylation of Zophobas morio Protein–Maltodextrin Conjugates: Effects on Structure and Acid-Induced Gel Properties
by Ha Seong Cho, St. Nur Hikmah, Niken Larasati Kusumawardani and Won Young Lee
Gels 2026, 12(5), 391; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12050391 - 2 May 2026
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Abstract
In this study, we investigated the effect of ultrasound-assisted Maillard glycosylation reaction time on the structural, physicochemical, and acid-induced gel properties of Zophobas morio protein–maltodextrin (ZMP–MD) conjugates. Ultrasound treatment up to 45 min (100 kHz, 450 W, 70 °C) significantly accelerated the conjugation [...] Read more.
In this study, we investigated the effect of ultrasound-assisted Maillard glycosylation reaction time on the structural, physicochemical, and acid-induced gel properties of Zophobas morio protein–maltodextrin (ZMP–MD) conjugates. Ultrasound treatment up to 45 min (100 kHz, 450 W, 70 °C) significantly accelerated the conjugation efficiency (15.81%) compared to that of wet heating at 70 °C for 6 h (13.62%) (p < 0.05). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analyses confirmed that both Maillard glycosylation methods formed ZMP–MD conjugates. In addition, the results for secondary structure, surface hydrophobicity, and zeta potential revealed that the ultrasound treatment promoted greater protein structural unfolding, decreasing α-helix while increasing β-sheet and random coil content compared to wet heating. These changes in structural and physicochemical properties of ZMP–MD conjugates impacted the glucono-δ-lactone (GDL)-based acid-induced gel properties. Even though Maillard glycosylation with MD weakened gel properties compared to native ZMP, the gel obtained after 45 min of ultrasound treatment exhibited a higher storage modulus, gel strength, and water-holding capacity than the wet-heated ZMP–MD gel. In conclusion, these findings suggest that properly controlled ultrasound-assisted Maillard glycosylation can modify protein structure, potentially improving its gel properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Gel-Based Systems: Gel-Forming and Food Applications (2nd Edition))
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15 pages, 807 KB  
Article
Enhancing Fermented Sausage Quality with Weissella hellenica, Lactobacillus sakei, and Pediococcus pentosaceus
by Yuan Fu, Lingjie Zhang, Hairong Long, Zhitian Yin, Xing Sun, Wen Nie, Qinqing Zhuo, Congyu Lin, Shuangjie Zhu, Yeye Du and Longwei Jiang
Gels 2026, 12(3), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12030222 - 9 Mar 2026
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Abstract
The natural fermentation of sausages often results in inconsistent gel texture and flavor stability. This study introduces a compound fermenter group (Weissella hellenica, Lactobacillus sakei, and Pediococcus pentosaceus) to improve the quality of fermented sausages. The aim was to [...] Read more.
The natural fermentation of sausages often results in inconsistent gel texture and flavor stability. This study introduces a compound fermenter group (Weissella hellenica, Lactobacillus sakei, and Pediococcus pentosaceus) to improve the quality of fermented sausages. The aim was to evaluate its flavor-modulating and quality-preserving effects, addressing the research gap in applying these microbial synergies in fermented meats. Sausages inoculated with the compound fermenter group were compared with control group (naturally fermented) over 90-day frozen storage using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory analyses. The results showed that the compound fermenter group enhanced protein gel network stability (increased hardness and chewiness; reduced moisture loss), enriched the volatile aroma profile, with an 8.7% increase in the variety of flavor compounds and no detected lipid oxidation-derived off-flavor aldehydes (e.g., trans-2-nonenal), and improved oxidative and microbial stability (lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and total volatile basic nitrogen values; total viable counts within safety limits), with consistently higher sensory scores. The compound fermenter group effectively coordinates proteolysis, gelation, and flavor metabolism, offering a promising strategy for producing high-quality fermented meat gels with optimized texture and extended shelf life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Gel-Based Systems: Gel-Forming and Food Applications (2nd Edition))
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