Search Results (689)

A non-dairy whipping cream was developed by partially replacing cocoa butter substitute with pea protein–high-methoxyl pectin (PP–HMP) emulsion gel containing soybean oil. The effects of substitution levels (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%) on the properties of the pre-whipping cream emulsion and the resulting whipped cream were systematically investigated and compared with those of commercial whipped creams. The properties of the pre-whipping emulsion (apparent viscosity and particle size) and whipped cream (hardness, adhesiveness, elastic modulus, and thixotropic loop area) degraded with increasing PP–HMP emulsion gel substitution levels. Overrun and partial coalescence of fat reached their highest values at the 20% substitution level, at which point the whipped cream also exhibited a uniform microstructure and excellent shape retention. The overrun, hardness, and foam stability of non-dairy whipping cream containing 20% PP–HMP emulsion gel were comparable to those of the commercial whipped cream. These findings demonstrate the potential of PP–HMP emulsion gel as a fat substitute for developing non-dairy whipping cream with reduced hydrogenated fat content. Full article

The present study aimed to optimize the fabrication conditions of walnut oil–fructooligosaccharide emulsion and evaluate its efficacy in improving the quality of cooked rice. Three food-grade emulsifiers, namely sucrose fatty acid ester (SE), polyglycerol fatty acid esters (PGEs), and diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono- and diglycerides (DATEM), were adopted to investigate the influences of water–oil ratio, emulsifier dosage, and high-pressure microfluidization (HPM) pressure on emulsion indicators including the emulsion stability index (ESI), particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, micromorphology, and storage stability. The results reveal that SE exhibited the superior emulsifying capacity, with the optimal water–oil ratio and SE dosage determined to be 6:4 and 4% (w/w, based on oil mass), respectively. HPM treatment further reduced droplet size and elevated the ESI, and 150 MPa was identified as the optimal homogenization pressure. Subsequently, the optimized emulsion was applied during rice cooking, with water, pure walnut oil, pure fructooligosaccharide (FOS), simple physical mixture of the two raw materials and crude emulsion set as parallel control groups. Compared with all control treatments, rice cooked with 150 MPa homogenized emulsion possessed the minimum hardness value of 3297.22 and the maximum springiness of 0.74, accompanied by the optimal water retention capacity, luminosity, and the most abundant volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In conclusion, walnut oil–fructooligosaccharide emulsion fabricated via HPM exerted synergistic improvements on the texture and flavor of cooked rice, which could provide a technical reference for the functional modification of staple foods. Full article

Poor aqueous solubility remains one of the most persistent challenges in pharmaceutical development, limiting clinical translation and requiring innovative formulation strategies; approximately 40% of newly discovered pharmaceutical compounds are affected, underscoring the scale of the problem. Emulsion-based delivery systems overcome this limitation by maintaining drugs in a dissolved state, increasing absorption surface area, and enabling controlled release; however, conventional emulsions face thermodynamic instability and coalescence challenges. Cellulose and nanocellulose—cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), and bacterial cellulose (BC)—have emerged as sustainable, biocompatible alternatives to synthetic surfactants for stabilizing emulsions via Pickering mechanisms involving irreversible adsorption of solid particles at the oil–water interface. This review synthesizes 142 references across eight application themes: fundamentals and history, emulsion templating, drug encapsulation, antimicrobial and pathogen applications, vaccine adjuvants, topical and transdermal delivery, commercial translation, and regulatory gaps. Rather than treating all sources equally, 37 primary studies are examined in depth through structured critical-appraisal tables organized by system type, goal, key result, and limitation; the remainder are synthesized at the pattern level. A key mechanistic distinction is identified between BC as a standalone biomedical material (used in wound dressings, tissue scaffolds, and drug delivery membranes) and BC as a source for Pickering-emulsion stabilizers after disintegration into nanocrystals or nanofibrils. The review’s overall assessment is that the fundamental materials science of cellulose Pickering emulsions is mature and consistent across sources, while the translational evidence, including in vivo confirmation of drug release performance, biofilm-relevant antimicrobial testing, standardized nanocellulose characterization, and up-to-date intellectual property mapping, remains the binding constraint on clinical and commercial adoption. Six specific, evidence-linked research priorities are identified to advance cellulose emulsions toward regulatory approval and clinical use. Full article

This study evaluates the network-forming and gelation capabilities of quinoa protein (QP) nanocomplexes formed with alginate (QP–Al) and chitosan (QP–C) for the development of structured food emulsion gels and their application in reduced-fat food dressings. Rheological and nanometric characterisation revealed that QP–C complexes exhibited strong shear-thinning behaviour and particle-size instability with increasing concentration, indicating the breakdown of an organised internal network at rest. Conversely, QP–Al showed Newtonian behaviour, smaller particle sizes (~100–250 nm) and high surface charge stability. Upon oil incorporation, the chitosan-based systems underwent an abrupt, concentration-dependent transition from a liquid-like state to a solid-like gel network between 1.2% and 1.6% w/v chitosan. The EQP–C8 gel network exhibited severe structural fragility, degrading into a purely viscous fluid over 28 days. Conversely, the alginate-based system (EQP–AL8) formed a weak physical hydrogel network characterised by a progressive build-up of structure that resisted creaming and maintained structural integrity across temperature changes. EQP–AL8 was successfully used to develop a plant-based, reduced-fat dressing with high organoleptic acceptance; 98% of participants were willing to purchase the product. These findings demonstrate that QP–AL8 provides a clean-label technological path to designing tunable, highly stable food emulsion gels. Full article

Soybean dregs, one of the main byproducts of traditional soybean processing, are rich in insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), which possesses high mechanical strength and thermal stability. After surface reconstruction treatment, they have the potential to serve as a Pickering emulsion stabilizer, as these properties enable the particles to maintain their structural integrity at the oil–water interface. In this research, high-purity soybean dreg insoluble dietary fibers (HPSIDFs) were modified by alkaline H₂O₂, with oleic acid (OA) modified in a green synergistic modification. The surface of HPSIDF was etched to increase the reaction sites for subsequent hydrophobic modification, which enhanced the emulsification properties. Finally, the performance of the particles in Pickering emulsions and the emulsification mechanism were analyzed. The absolute value of the ζ-potential of the hydrophobically modified high-purity soybean dreg insoluble dietary fiber (O-HPSIDF) increased from 15.87 mV to 37.27 mV. The stability of the Pickering emulsion stabilized by O-HPSIDF was greatly enhanced; the droplet size of the emulsion decreased; the distribution was more uniform. The emulsifier particles formed a network structure at the interface, which imparted considerable mechanical strength to the emulsion, as evidenced by the increased storage modulus and viscosity. Full article

Emulsified collectors (ECs) have attracted increasing attention in coal slime flotation because of their superior dispersion characteristics and collecting performance compared with conventional hydrocarbon collectors. However, the relationship between flotation performance and the effects of ECs on microorganisms in circulating water remains poorly understood. In this study, four ECs were prepared using cationic (dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB)), anionic (sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)), nonionic (Tween-80), and solid particle-based (β-cyclodextrin (CD)) emulsifiers. The droplet size distribution, flotation performance, adsorption behavior, and microbial response were systematically evaluated. The results showed that ECs significantly improved coal slime flotation compared with conventional kerosene. Among the surfactant-based ECs, smaller oil droplet sizes resulted in higher clean coal recovery, demonstrating the critical role of collector dispersion in flotation performance. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy provided qualitative evidence of stronger relative adsorption of ECs on coal surfaces than that of conventional kerosene. Yeast survival tests revealed that all ECs exhibited less adverse impact on microorganisms than kerosene. However, for surfactant-based ECs, microbial survival decreased as flotation performance increased. A preliminary negative correlation (R² = 0.9323, n = 4, where “n” denotes the number of collector formulations tested) was observed between the yeast survival rate and the number of oil droplets, suggesting that fine oil droplets remaining in the aqueous phase may have contributed to reduced microbial viability. In contrast, the β-CD-stabilized Pickering emulsion achieved both the highest flotation efficiency index (56.22) and the highest yeast survival rate (66.49%), outperforming Tween-80-EC (54.90 and 58.65%), SDS-EC (50.95 and 61.45%), DTAB-EC (50.08 and 63.31%), and conventional kerosene (40.32 and 53.35%). These findings demonstrate the importance of balancing flotation performance and environmental compatibility in the design of sustainable flotation collectors for coal processing. Full article

Capsaicin is a bioactive substance with diverse health-promoting properties, but its intense pungency and irritant side effects limit oral application. This study developed a Pueraria lobata particle-based Pickering emulsion (PE) as an oral delivery platform for capsaicin. Modified Pueraria lobata particles (MP-ps) were prepared using a microwave-assisted enzymolysis technique (15% hydration, 252 J/g microwave energy and 8 h pullulanase hydrolysis). MP-ps exhibited surface cracks and pores, altered starch crystallinity, and enhanced water-holding capacity and swelling power. Compared with original Pueraria lobata particles, MP-ps avoided the burst release of puerarin in the upper gastrointestinal tract, dropping from approximately 54% to 20%. An optimized capsaicin-loading PE with excellent physical stability was obtained from 4% MP-ps and a 9:1 (v/v) water-to-corn oil ratio, exhibiting complete core–shell architecture and oil-phase sequestration of capsaicin in TEM images. Gastrointestinal transit analysis in male KM mice indicated that MP-p-based PE reduced the exposure of the encapsulated lipophilic substance in the stomach and small intestine and promoted its accumulation in the colon. Irritation assays in male KM mice and Sprague-Dawley rats further demonstrated that this effective encapsulation alleviated the gastrointestinal irritation of capsaicin and improved its palatability. This study provided a food-derived material and an easy-to-build PE platform for oral lipophilic/irritant substance delivery, with potential for future health-regulating applications. Full article

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA), affecting approximately 240 million people worldwide, currently lacks targeted, long-acting therapeutic options. This study investigates how physicochemical properties (i.e., size, surface charge, polydispersity) influence poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microsphere (MS) diffusion into articular cartilage for enhanced corticosteroid delivery. Methods: PLGA MSs were synthesized via oil/water emulsions to create a variety of sizes and surface charges. MSs were loaded with corticosteroid (H-17-B) and release kinetics were studied in vitro and analyzed via HPLC. Diffusion of the MSs was investigated via a bovine explant model. Results: Unmodified PLGA MSs (approximately 0.58–0.98 µm) were synthesized via single-stage oil/water emulsion with varying poly(vinyl alcohol) concentrations and sonication intensities. All formulations exhibited near-neutral surface charges (−0.27 to 4.28 mV). Smaller particles achieved greater cartilage penetration, with bi-exponential diffusion models (R² = 0.706–0.999) outperforming classical Fickian approaches. However, multi-timepoint validation demonstrated fundamentally non-diffusive transport, likely governed by steric exclusion from the dense collagen network (0.05–0.06 µm pore size). Surface functionalization with avidin/palmitic acid or polyethylene glycol (PEG)/biotin yielded microspheres with controlled properties (0.36–0.97 µm; PDI: 0.10–0.32). In vitro release studies with hydrocortisone-17-butyrate (H-17-B; encapsulation efficiency of 79.8% ± 4.8%) demonstrated biphasic kinetics best fit by bi-exponential models (R² > 0.95). Unmodified microspheres exhibited 7.1% cumulative release by Day 14. High-performance liquid chromatography revealed that H-17-B undergoes ester hydrolysis to hydrocortisone during release, with surface modifications significantly affecting drug stability. Specifically, PEGylated microspheres maintained 96% of the drug in H-17-B form at Day 14 compared to only 37% for unmodified particles. Release was governed by PLGA degradation with concentration-independent kinetics, enabling predictable dose scalability. Conclusions: This work establishes that the behavior of PLGA microspheres in cartilage is controlled by size, charge, and surface functionalization. Surface modifications overcome physical barriers while stabilizing the encapsulated corticosteroid against premature hydrolysis, providing a framework for designing intra-articular drug delivery systems for osteoarthritis treatment. Full article

Three-dimensional (3D) food printing enables personalized fabrication but requires materials with suitable printing properties. This study developed high internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPPEs) stabilized by co-assembled whey protein isolate (WPI) with κ-carrageenan (κ-CA) in a binary system and with both κ-CA and curdlan gum (CG) in a ternary system. The aim was to clarify the distinct roles of anionic and neutral polysaccharides in regulating emulsion printability. Incorporation of 1.2% κ-CA and 1.6% CG optimized the three-phase contact angles of the binary and ternary particles to 78.84 ± 0.87° and 86.22 ± 0.74°, respectively. The ternary system exhibited significantly greater oil-phase wettability (p < 0.05). Rheological and textural analyses showed that κ-CA concentration primarily governed yield stress and self-supporting capacity in the ternary system, with an optimum at 1.2%. In contrast, CG incorporation was essential for improving thixotropic recovery and printing accuracy, with an optimum at 1.6%. The optimized ternary HIPPEs exhibited excellent 3D printing accuracy with a food-grade oil phase and surpassed the binary system in structural integrity and shape fidelity. These findings clarify the distinct yet complementary roles of anionic and neutral polysaccharides in modulating HIPPEs printability and provide a rational material-design strategy for developing high-performance food 3D-printing system. Full article

Catfish (Clarias macrocephalus × C. gariepinus) is economically important but perishable, and hot-air drying yields shelf-stable catfish powder (CFP); however, its quality response to high-temperature drying (>100 °C) remains poorly understood. The present study aimed to examine the effects of five drying temperatures (60–180 °C) on the physicochemical, nutritional, functional, structural, volatile, oxidative, and microbiological properties of CFP. Drying exerted parameter-specific effects. Moisture and water activity fell from 6.24% to 4.75% and 0.42 to 0.23, with microbial counts reduced at ≥120 °C. Browning raised lightness, redness, and yellowness from 49.53 to 57.64, 1.94 to 2.97, and 13.95 to 18.14, respectively. Protein concentrated from 57.63% to 62.24%, whereas oxidation lowered fat from 22.49% to 17.17%. Minerals rose marginally, although iron and zinc declined. Amino acids were largely preserved, though methionine (2.71 to 2.21 g/100 g protein) and cysteine declined and glycine and proline increased. DHA declined most, from 4.61% to 3.20%, followed by EPA and AA. Water holding, oil holding, wettability, dispersibility, and colloidal stability decreased, whereas emulsion stability decreased from 57.14% at 60 °C to 42.10% at 180 °C. Zeta potential became less negative (−35.82 to −20.74 mV), with larger particle size and polydispersity. Among 72 volatiles across 11 classes, 60–90 °C favored fishy aldehydes and 2-pentyl furan and ≥150 °C generated Maillard and sulfur compounds, whereas 120 °C produced the most balanced volatile profile, with lower relative abundance of fishy aldehydes than at 60–90 °C, consistent with the intermediate TBARS values and comparatively better retention of unsaturated fatty acids at this temperature, and limited accumulation of Maillard-derived and sulfur compounds relative to 150–180 °C. FTIR, XRD, TGA, and SEM confirmed preserved structure. Overall, the results showed that 120 °C provided the best balance of dehydration, nutrient and functional retention, flavor, and microbial safety. Full article

A high-temperature-resistant plugging–inhibitor (DS) was synthesized via emulsion polymerization using styrene (St), butyl acrylate (BA), 2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), and N-vinylformamide (NVF), with divinylbenzene (DVB) as crosslinker and ammonium persulfate (APS) as the initiator. The structure and properties were characterized by FTIR, TG, SEM, and contact angle analysis. Plugging and inhibition performances were evaluated through filtration, high-temperature high-pressure (HTHP) plugging, linear swelling, and shale recovery tests. DS exhibits spherical morphology with particle sizes of 50–100 nm and a decomposition temperature of ~297 °C, indicating good thermal stability. The addition of DS significantly reduces filtration loss; at 1.5 wt%, the API filtration loss decreases to 6 mL. Under 180 °C conditions, 1 wt% DS reduces HTHP filtration loss from 12 to 6 mL, demonstrating excellent high-temperature plugging performance. DS also effectively suppresses shale hydration, with linear swelling reduced to 1.48 mm and shale recovery increased to 64.68% at 3 wt%. These results indicate that DS possesses excellent thermal stability, plugging efficiency, and inhibition performance, offering a promising solution for wellbore stability in shale gas drilling. Full article

Background/Objectives: Acorus tatarinowii Schott volatile oil (ATVO), a bioactive component of traditional Chinese medicine, is susceptible to light-induced oxidation and compositional changes. This study aimed to develop a chitosan-modified Saigae Tataricae Cornu particle (MSTC)-stabilized Pickering emulsion (PE) to improve the light-oxidative stability and in vivo disposition of ATVO. Methods: Saigae Tataricae Cornu particles were modified with chitosan and used to prepare an oil-in-water PE encapsulating ATVO. Particle wettability, morphology, structural interactions, emulsion type, interfacial distribution, droplet size, and zeta potential were characterized. The light-oxidative stability of ATVO was evaluated under light using peroxide value, malondialdehyde content, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The pharmacokinetic behavior of α-asarone and β-asarone was further investigated in rats. Results: Chitosan modification increased the contact angle of Saigae Tataricae Cornu particles from 65.37° to 83.23°, indicating improved wettability and interfacial affinity. The resulting PE showed good physical stability, with a droplet size of 2.51 μm and a zeta potential of +32.00 mV. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) confirmed that MSTC particles adsorbed at the oil–water interface and encapsulated ATVO within the oil droplets. Compared with free ATVO and the physical mixture, the PE reduced peroxide and malondialdehyde formation, slowed light-induced changes in volatile components, and better preserved major bioactive constituents. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that the plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to t (AUC_0–t) and maximum plasma concentration (C_max) of α-asarone increased by 2.02- and 2.47-fold, respectively, whereas the effect on β-asarone was relatively limited. Conclusions: MSTC-stabilized PE provides an effective interfacial-barrier strategy for protecting ATVO against light-oxidative deterioration. This study highlights the potential of modified natural medicinal particles as green stabilizers for improving the stability, quality consistency, and delivery performance of volatile-oil-containing traditional Chinese medicine preparations. Full article

Hot-pressed peanut protein isolate (HPPI), severely denatured during oil extraction, exhibits limited interfacial functionality, restricting its application in structured emulsions. In this study, high-voltage pulsed electric field (PEF) was employed to modulate the structural and interfacial properties of HPPI, a sustainable food biopolymer. PEF treatment induced conformational rearrangement, including a shift in secondary structure from α-helix to β-sheet and increased exposure of hydrophobic residues. These structural changes reduced particle size and increased surface charge, with optimal modification at 2.5 kV/cm. Consequently, interfacial activity was significantly improved, as evidenced by decreased interfacial tension and increased dilatational modulus, indicating a more elastic interfacial film was formed. The modified protein (2.5 kV/cm) effectively stabilized high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) with typical gel-like viscoelastic features, achieving optimal stability at 2.0 wt% protein concentration, 75% oil phase fraction, and NaCl concentrations below 100 mM. Overall, PEF treatment enhances the interfacial functionality of HPPI by modulating its structure and interfacial film properties, thereby facilitating the fabrication of biopolymer-based food-grade HIPEs for practical food applications. Full article

Maintaining wellbore stability in deep and ultra-deep formations demands plugging agents capable of sealing nano- to micro-scale pores under high-temperature conditions. A core–shell nano-plugging agent (CSP) was synthesized via emulsion polymerization using KH-570-modified nano-SiO₂ as the rigid core and a poly(styrene-co-butyl acrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) terpolymer as the deformable shell. CSP particles had a mean diameter of 196.5 nm (polydispersity index, PDI = 0.183) and an onset decomposition temperature of 342 °C. Compatibility tests at 180 °C confirmed that 3 wt% CSP caused no adverse changes in the rheology or emulsion stability of the oil-based drilling fluid (OBM). At 180 °C, CSP reduced the high-temperature high-pressure (HTHP) filtrate loss by 64.4% and the permeability plugging apparatus (PPA) filtrate loss by 66.1%. Sand-disk tests elevated the breakthrough pressure from 1.5 to 9.2 MPa. Core displacement on sandstone cores achieved a plugging rate of 98.30%, and pressure transmission tests on natural shale cores extended the 50% equalization time by 7.8-fold. Comparative evaluation confirmed that the core–shell architecture consistently outperformed nano-SiO₂ alone, polymer alone, and their physical blend. Low-temperature N₂ adsorption provided direct evidence of pore sealing, with the treated-shale Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area and total pore volume reduced by about 62% (12.6 to 4.8 m²/g and 0.0325 to 0.0121 cm³/g, respectively). Scanning electron microscopy of the shale surface before and after treatment further provided direct visual evidence of pore sealing, showing the open, porous matrix being converted into a dense, compacted filter cake. Filter-cake thickness measurements are consistent with a proposed three-stage plugging mechanism—bridging, deformation filling, and thermal compaction—driven by the complementary roles of the rigid core and the deformable shell. These findings indicate that CSP merits further evaluation as a high-temperature plugging agent for wellbore stabilization in deep shale formations. Full article

Traditional research was mostly focused on the effects of emulsions on the mechanical properties and durability of cement mortar, while studies on the regulation mechanism of emulsions on the rheological properties of cement-based materials and the coupling mechanism with the hydration process were rarely conducted. In this paper, a novel core–shell structured emulsion was prepared by free radical polymerization. The regulation of cement mortar yield stress, creep recovery, dynamic viscosity, and thixotropy by different dosages (0–10%) of the emulsion admixture was systematically investigated, and combined with characterization by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), the microscopic action mechanism of the emulsion was elucidated. It was demonstrated that the Bingham fluid behavior of cement mortar was not altered by the core–shell emulsion, whereas a significant dosage-dependent regulatory effect on its rheological parameters was observed, and a critical regulation interval of 4–6% was identified. At an emulsion dosage of 10%, the yield stress of the mortar was increased by 937.0% compared to that of the control group. At dosages of 2–4%, the static structural stability and construction flowability of the mortar were synergistically optimized, and the weakest thixotropy and the best structural stability were exhibited at an emulsion dosage of 4%. A more pronounced shear-thinning behavior was shown by all modified mortars, and their high-shear flowability was not affected. Microstructural analysis confirmed that no chemical reaction occurred between the emulsion and the cement hydration products. Through the triple effects of “hydration retardation by physical coating, pore filling and densification, and composite network enhancement”, a film was formed on the surface of cement particles by the emulsion, which hindered the diffusion of water and ions, thereby regulating the cement hydration process and microstructural evolution. Full article