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Gels
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Advanced Gels in the Food System
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Advanced Gels in the Food System

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 5263

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Xiaokang Na

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
Interests: protein hydrogels; protein modification; protein self-assembly
Dr. Wuchao Ma

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: design and fabrication of protein-based hydrogels and their application in foods
Prof. Dr. Zihao Wei

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
Interests: marine foods; bioactive ingredients; delivery systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Gels aims to explore recent advancements in gel-based systems within the food industry. We welcome the submission of papers that delve into innovative applications, novel materials, and the technological breakthroughs that are reshaping food processing, preservation, and enhancement. The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, protein and polysaccharide gels, oleogels, nanogels, and composite gels. Emphasis will be placed on the functional properties of these gels, their role in enhancing food texture, stability, and nutritional value, and their potential application in the development of sustainable, health-promoting, and advanced food products. Examples include the utilization of protein hydrogels as cell culture meat scaffolds to support and guide cell differentiation, nanogels for the encapsulation and controlled release of bioactive compounds, and oleogels as healthier fat substitutes in bakery products. We encourage researchers to share experimental studies, reviews, and theoretical models that push the boundaries of current knowledge in this dynamic field.

Dr. Xiaokang Na
Dr. Wuchao Ma
Prof. Dr. Zihao Wei
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

  • protein hydrogels
  • polysaccharide gels
  • nanogels
  • oleogels
  • food texture improvement
  • sustainable food development

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 489 KB  
Article
Effect of Reaction Time of TGase on the Water-Holding Capacity and Gel Properties of Reduced-Fat and Reduced-Sodium Chicken Meat Batters
by Dongyang Zhu, Ke Xu, Zhuangli Kang, Bo Luo and Kun Fang
Gels 2025, 11(11), 848; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11110848 - 23 Oct 2025
Viewed by 287
Abstract
In this paper, the effects of TGase reaction times (0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h) at 4 °C on the solubility, emulsion stability, cooking yield, gel properties and water distribution of reduced-fat and reduced-sodium chicken meat batter were studied. The results showed [...] Read more.
In this paper, the effects of TGase reaction times (0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h) at 4 °C on the solubility, emulsion stability, cooking yield, gel properties and water distribution of reduced-fat and reduced-sodium chicken meat batter were studied. The results showed that the reaction time had a significant effect on the water fluidity and quality characteristics of reduced-fat and reduced-sodium chicken meat batter. The solubility, cooking yield and water-holding capacity of salt-soluble proteins initially increased then decreased with extended reaction time, reaching maximum values of 65.50%, 96.13% and 96.00%, respectively, at 12 h. The emulsifying stability and textural properties initially increased, then decreased with extended reaction time (p < 0.05), achieving optimal levels at 12 h. In contrast, the initial relaxation time of T21 and T22 initially decreased (p < 0.05) and then increased (p < 0.05) with longer reaction times; the minimum values were 12 h, especially the free water decreased from 17.97% to 6.69%, consistent with the finding on water-holding capacity and gel properties. In conclusion, the reaction time of the TGase affected its effect on improving the gel effect of reduced-fat and reduced-sodium chicken meat batter, and the best effect was achieved at 12 h. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Gels in the Food System)
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17 pages, 2466 KB  
Article
Fabrication, Characterization, and In Vitro Digestion Behavior of Bigel Loaded with Notoginsenoside Rb1
by Yang Luo, Gao Xiong, Xiao Gong, Chunlei Xu, Yingqiu Tian and Guanrong Li
Gels 2025, 11(8), 624; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11080624 - 9 Aug 2025
Viewed by 721
Abstract
Notoginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1), a bioactive saponin from Panax notoginseng, exerts cardio-cerebrovascular protective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and glucose homeostasis-regulating effects. However, its oral bioavailability is limited by gastric degradation and poor intestinal permeability. This study presents a food-grade bigel system for encapsulating Rb1 to enhance [...] Read more.
Notoginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1), a bioactive saponin from Panax notoginseng, exerts cardio-cerebrovascular protective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and glucose homeostasis-regulating effects. However, its oral bioavailability is limited by gastric degradation and poor intestinal permeability. This study presents a food-grade bigel system for encapsulating Rb1 to enhance its stability and controlled-release performance. Oleogels were structured using monoglycerides (8%, w/w) in soybean oil. Rb1-loaded binary hydrogels (gellan gum/xanthan gum, 12:1 w/w) were emulsified in 10% Tween-80 (w/w). Bigels were formulated at varying hydrogel-to-oleogel ratios, and a ratio of 4:6 was identified as optimal. Stress-sweep rheological analysis revealed a dense gel structure with a peak storage modulus (G′) of 290.64 Pa—the highest among all tested ratios—indicating superior structural integrity. Confocal microscopy confirmed homogeneous encapsulation of Rb1 within the continuous hydrogel phase, effectively preventing payload leakage. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis detected a distinct endothermic transition at 55 °C (ΔH = 6.25 J/g), signifying energy absorption that enables thermal buffering during food processing. The system achieved an encapsulation efficiency of 99.91% and retains both water and oil retention. Effective acid protection and colon-targeted delivery were observed in the digestion test. Effective acid protection and colon-targeted delivery were observed in the digestion test. Less than 5% of Rb1 was released in the gastric phase, and over 90% sustained intestinal release occurred at 4 h. The optimized bigel effectively protected Rb1 from gastric degradation and enabled sustained intestinal release. Its food-grade composition, thermal stability, and tunable rheology offer significant potential for use in functional foods and nutraceuticals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Gels in the Food System)
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21 pages, 1500 KB  
Article
Influence of Bilberry Pomace Powder Addition on the Physicochemical, Functional, Rheological, and Sensory Properties of Stirred Yogurt
by Ana Maria Blejan, Violeta Nour, Alexandru Radu Corbu and Georgiana Gabriela Codină
Gels 2024, 10(10), 616; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10100616 - 25 Sep 2024
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1997
Abstract
Fruit processing by-products could represent a sustainable ingredient for developing innovative dairy products. The present study was conducted to develop a novel functional yogurt by adding bilberry pomace powder (BPP) at 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% (w/w) levels in stirred-type [...] Read more.
Fruit processing by-products could represent a sustainable ingredient for developing innovative dairy products. The present study was conducted to develop a novel functional yogurt by adding bilberry pomace powder (BPP) at 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% (w/w) levels in stirred-type yogurt production to confer color and to increase the dietary fiber and polyphenol content. Physicochemical properties of the yogurt samples, including color parameters, titratable acidity, pH, water holding capacity (WHC), and syneresis, as well as textural and rheological properties, were evaluated in yogurts on the 1, 14, and 28 days of refrigerated storage (4 °C). In addition, total phenolic content, total anthocyanin content, and radical scavenging activity were determined in yogurts, and sensory analysis was conducted. The results showed that BPP is a valuable source of polyphenols, dietary fiber, and oils rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs, n-6/n-3 ratio = 0.91). The incorporation of BPP imparted an attractive purple color to the yogurts, increased WHC, and reduced syneresis. Moreover, the addition of BPP improved the rheological properties, demonstrating that a more dense and stable yogurt gel network structure was obtained than the control. The yogurt enriched with 1.0% BPP received the highest scores for color, consistency, taste, and overall acceptability. Hence, bilberry pomace powder might be used as an ingredient to improve the nutritional and functional value of yogurts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Gels in the Food System)
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17 pages, 2555 KB  
Article
Preparation, Characterization and Formation Mechanism of High Pressure-Induced Whey Protein Isolate/κ-Carrageenan Composite Emulsion Gel Loaded with Curcumin
by Xiaoye He, Shuang Ren, Hu Li, Di Han, Tianxin Liu, Meishan Wu and Jing Wang
Gels 2024, 10(8), 542; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10080542 - 21 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1728
Abstract
In order to explore the formation mechanism of the emulsion gel induced by high pressure processing (HPP) and its encapsulation and protection of functional ingredients, a curcumin-loaded whey protein isolate (WPI)/κ-carrageenan (κ-CG) composite emulsion gel induced by HPP was prepared. The effect of [...] Read more.
In order to explore the formation mechanism of the emulsion gel induced by high pressure processing (HPP) and its encapsulation and protection of functional ingredients, a curcumin-loaded whey protein isolate (WPI)/κ-carrageenan (κ-CG) composite emulsion gel induced by HPP was prepared. The effect of pressure (400, 500 and 600 MPa), holding time (10, 20 and 30 min) and concentration of κ-CG (0.8%, 1.0% and 1.2%, w/v) on the swelling rate, gel strength, the stability of curcumin in the emulsion gel, water distribution and its mobility, as well as the contents of interface protein were characterized. The results showed that the addition of κ-CG significantly reduced the protein concentration required for the formation of emulsion gel induced by HPP and greatly reduced the swelling rate of the emulsion gel. The gel strength and storage stability of the composite emulsion gels increased with the increase in pressure (400–600 MPa) and holding time (10–30 min). When the pressure increased to 500 MPa, the stability of curcumin in the emulsion gel significantly improved. When the ratio of WPI to κ-CG was 12:1 (the κ-CG concentration was 1.0%), both the photochemical and thermal stability of curcumin were higher than those of the other two ratios. The HPP significantly increased the mobility of monolayer water in the system, while the mobility of multilayer water and immobilized water was significantly reduced. Increasing the holding time and the concentration of κ-CG both can result in an increase in the interfacial protein content in the oil/water system, and the HPP treatment had a significant effect on the composition of the interfacial protein of the emulsion gel. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Gels in the Food System)
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