Despite their potential, alkali-treated konjac glucomannan (KGM) gels are limited by excessive brittleness and a lack of eco-friendly synthesis methods, creating an urgent need for more durable and 'green' alternatives. In this study, highly stable KGM gels were constructed under low-alkali conditions by adjusting the ethanol content. The results showed that intermolecular hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions were enhanced with increasing ethanol concentration (0-20% v/v) under low-alkaline conditions. The physicochemical properties of KGM gels showed dynamic improvement, with denser micro-network morphology and simultaneous enhancement of thermal stability. However, the addition of a high ethanol concentration (20% v/v) tended to trigger local aggregation, disrupting the gel network structure. At an ethanol addition of 15%, the hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions of KGM gels reached an optimal equilibrium, exhibiting the most compact gel network and excellent resistance to deformation. This study reveals the regulation of the microstructure and macroscopic properties of KGM gels by ethanol, which provides theoretical support for the construction of high-performance KGM gels under low-alkali conditions.

Addressing the issue of low resource utilization rates of carrot pomace, this study established a sequential recovery process for pectin from carrot pomace and the preparation of carrot insoluble dietary fiber (CIDF) with high water and oil absorption properties. Carrot pectin was preferentially separated from carrot pomace by acid extraction (yield 15.69%), exhibiting higher viscosity values at low shear rates compared with commercial citrus pectin solution. Especially at shear rate of 0.01 s−1, its solution viscosity value was 2.37 times that of commercial pectin. The remaining residue after pectin extraction (CIDF-1) was further subjected to three sequential treatments: alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP), high-pressure homogenization (HPH), and ethanol dehydration (ED), to prepare CIDF-5 with excellent properties. Compared with CIDF-1, the water holding capacity of CIDF-5 was increased from 15.46 g/g to 22.9 g/g (48.03% increase), the water swelling capacity was increased from 16.67 mL/g to 48.33 mL/g (189.92% increase), the oil holding capacity was increased from 9.43 g/g to 19.93 g/g (111.22% increase), and the static contact angle of water and oil phase decreased by 10.71% and 29.79%, respectively. The AHP and ED treatments play a significant role in improving fiber properties. Altogether, this strategy transformed carrot pomace waste into two high-value-added products: carrot pectin and fibers with high water and oil absorption properties, with an overall yield of 39-42%. This not only significantly increased the resource utilization rate of carrot pomace, but also provided a reference for the comprehensive utilization of fruit and vegetable processing by-products.

In this study, effects of ethanol on camellia oil emulsions stabilized by sodium caseinate (CAS) and konjac glucomannan (KGM) were investigated through rheological and microstructural properties. For camellia oil emulsions stabilized by CAS (0.3 g/kg) and KGM (0.03 g/kg), the interfacial protein adsorption rate increased from 69.63 % to 82.37 % with ethanol concentration increased. Meanwhile the droplet size reduced from 2.18 μm to 1.54 μm. The alcohol-containing camellia oil emulsions exhibited significant shear-thinning and elastic behaviors. The oil droplets became smaller and more densely packed after the addition of ethanol. Confocal laser scanning and cryo-scanning electron microscopy demonstrated a uniform distribution and tightly interconnected droplet structures in the alcohol camellia oil emulsion. Compared to emulsions without ethanol, the retention rates of curcumin loaded in ethanol (0.6 g/kg) emulsions increased to 73.09% and 52.83% after ultraviolet irradiation 12 h and 24 h. Besides, the ethanol emulsions had higher radical scavenging rate. The retention rate of DPPH· for ethanol emulsion was 45.85%, which was much lower than that of emulsions without ethanol (63.27%). The study provides a novel way for constructing functional ethanol emulsions and theoretical foundation for the research and development of alcoholic beverages and foods.

In this study, sodium alginate/inulin (SA/IN) composite beads were fabricated using the calcium ion cross-linking method, which encapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum to provide it with resistance in a gastrointestinal environment. The results showed that the SA/IN solution functioned as a kind of pseudoplastic fluid, and the storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) values exhibited a trend of frequency dependence. The diameter, water content, swelling rate, water holding capacity (WHC), and hardness of the composite beads were regulated by IN concentration, with IN making the beads rougher at first and then giving them a more regular shape as the concentration increased. The highest Lactobacillus plantarum encapsulation efficiency reached 92.8 ± 4.14%, and SA/IN beads improved the stability of Lactobacillus plantarum under 4 °C storage and heat treatment. The quantity of Lactobacillus plantarum reached 1.3 ± 0.01 CFU/g, which is close to the quantity observed before digestion. This study confirmed that SA/IN composite beads can serve as a protective carrier of Lactobacillus plantarum with prebiotic activity and can be used in functional food ingredients.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and curcumin (Cur) co-encapsulated composite films were prepared using konjac glucomannan (KGM) incorporating Pickering emulsion stabilized by β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). And then the composite films were applied for strawberry preservation. The structure and properties of the films were systematically characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), antibacterial property and biodegradability. The results showed that Pickering emulsion (0.2 g/L) enhanced the thermal stability, increased tensile strength to 33.17 MPa, dropped EAB from 70% to 40% with water vapor permeability of 2.5×10-13 g·m/(m2·s·Pa) and a denser structure. Both of S6 and S8 displayed high DPPH scavenging ability and strongest antibacterial effect on S. aureus and E. coli. The S8 composite film showed the inhibition zone of 16.08±2.73 mm and 19.97±0.97 mm respectively. Strawberry preservation experiments demonstrated that the film effectively delayed fruit weight loss, hardness reduction, and pH increase, thereby extending the preservation from 6 days to 8 days. Moreover, all Pickering emulsion film completely degraded in soil within 9 days, indicating good biodegradability.

In this paper, the structure, texture, thermal stability and controlled co-delivery characteristics of Pickering double emulsions (PDEs) regulated by konjac glucomannan (KGM) under different heat treatments were systematically studied. It showed heat treatments promoted the synergistic geation effect and transformed the system from the emulsion to the emulsion gel. The rheological results showed the increase temperature caused the loss factor first decreased and then increased and reached the minimum value at 70 °C. The texture test showed that after treatment at 70 °C, the hardness (0.79 N) and springiness (0.9 mm) of KGM-based PDEs were more similar to those of commercial cheese sticks. The gel matrix induced by heat treatments served as a physical barrier to improve the thermal stability of encapsulated EGCG and β-carotene in the KGM-based PDEs, and enhanced its gastrointestinal digestion stability by hindering lipid hydrolysis. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for developing functional plant-based gel foods.

This study investigates the drug co-delivery, cytotoxicity and cell phagocytosis of the ternary compound of (3-CD/ CUR/MTX prepared via co-precipitation methods. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), 1H NMR and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed the successful encapsulation of CUR and MTX. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed rock-like morphologies for (3-CD, (3-CD/MTX, and (3-CD/ CUR/MTX. While (3-CD/CUR exhibited micro-scaled rod structures. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that the compound maintain stability up to 200 degrees C, although the ternary (3-CD/CUR/MTX demonstrated an initial mass loss at approximately 120 degrees C. Molecular docking studies indicated a strong binding affinity of (3-CD with both CUR and MTX driving by hydrogen bonding. DPPH radical scavenging assays demonstrated that the (3-CD/ CUR and (3-CD/CUR/MTX exhibited enhanced water solubility and antioxidant capacities compared to (3-CD and (3-CD/MTX. In vitro release studies revealed (3-CD/MTX displayed a controlled release behavior of MTX, achieving 80-95% within 120 min. Whereas CUR loaded (3-CD/CUR compound exhibited a rapid release of approximately 50% within 20 min. The release profile of (3-CD/CUR/MTX was significantly influenced by pH, in which the release at pH 5.3 was higher than that at pH 7.4, and exceeding 80% after 120 min. Importantly, the compounds ((3-CD/CUR and (3-CD/CUR/MTX) at a concentration of 80 & micro;M had a significant inhibitory cell viability and phagocytosed behavior on HepG2.

To comprehensively enhance the physicochemical properties of zein nanoparticles and the performance of emulsions, a dual-modification strategy was employed. This involved pretreating zein with acid or alkali to obtain modified zein, followed by complexation of native or pretreated zein with various concentrations of sodium caseinate (CS) via an anti-solvent method. Dual modification markedly altered the particle size of zein nanoparticles. Among the single modification methods, alkali-modified zein (Azein) showed the smallest particle size. Of all the dually modified binary complexes, Azein-2% CS exhibited the smallest particle size and the highest absolute zeta potential value. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) results revealed structural differences between singly and dually modified zein, with the Azein-CS complex exhibiting an amorphous structure and improved thermal stability. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed that electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding are the main driving forces for complex formation. The dually modified Azein-2% CS complex demonstrated the highest emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsion stability index (ESI), and formed Pickering emulsions with the smallest average droplet size and a uniform size distribution. This study provides a solid theoretical foundation for broadening the application scope of zein and offers an effective strategy for designing functional particles with strong potential for food-grade applications.

Limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) is attracting significant interest for its carbon mitigation potential. Optimizing sulfate level is critical for strength improvement of LC3, however, this remains challenging owing to competitive reactions among Al3+/SO42-/CO32- that govern hydration pathways. This study investigated the effect of sulfate on hydration kinetics, strength development, phase assemblage and microstructure evolution of LC3 systems. Results demonstrated that sulfate suppresses nucleation kinetics but accelerates interfacial reactions. Crucially, the optimal sulfate dosage maximized the strength by balancing the precipitation of ettringite and carbonaluminates, reducing porosity by 19.4% compared to the reference group. Excess sulfate promoted delayed ettringite formation, increasing pores (>200 nm) by 28% and inducing microcracking. Thermodynamic modeling further confirmed the competitive mechanism of phase formation. The findings demonstrated that precise sulfate dosage is a critical parameter in LC3 mix proportion design, enabling the synergistic enhancement of mechanical performance and environmental sustainability, which is essential for its reliable large-scale application.

This study develops novel antimicrobial camellia oil composite films based on konjac glucomannan (KGM) and κ-carrageenan (KC) incorporated with a curcumin (CUR)-loaded camellia oil nanoemulsion to address food packaging safety and sustainability. The composite solutions and films were systematically characterized. The results demonstrate that the integration of KGM significantly enhanced the rheological characteristics of the composite solution, while also improving the hydrophilicity of the resulting composite film. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that 0.4

Encapsulation techniques are commonly used to preserve the viability of probiotics during storage and digestion. In this paper, composite beads were developed using sodium alginate (ALG) and konjac glucomannan (KGM) by calcium cross-linking, and were further used to entrap Lactobacillus plantarum for withstanding adverse environments. The results showed that the ALG/KGM solution displayed solid-like behavior after KGM addition. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that the beads were prepared through crosslinking agent ions with the carboxylate functional groups. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) of the ALG/KGM bead with ratios of 1:3 (AK13) reached 81.5% with a loading capacity (LC) of 8.15 log CFU/g. Besides, the ALG/KGM beads enhanced the storage stability at 4°C. L. plantarum count continually increased with a maximum of 11.8 log CFU after 40 min gastric digestion. The work confirmed that the ALG/KGM bead was an excellent probiotic protective carrier for L. plantarum.

As global population aging accelerates, dysphagia food has received more and more attention. In this study, whey protein (WP) gels were prepared with konjac glucomannan (KGM) for dysphagia-friendly food. The WP/KGM gels composite gels were formed primarily through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. The incorporation of KGM synergistically enhanced the gelling properties of WP with high gel water retention. Microstructure and moisture distribution demonstrated that KGM facilitated the development of a denser and uniform micro-network structure. Based on the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) test, the composite gels were categorized as level 5–6 dysphagia-oriented foods and suitable as transitional dysphagia foods. This study demonstrates that KGM can regulate WP gel performance and provides insights into the development of WP-based soft gel foods.

In this paper, the effect of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-Na) on the structure and gel properties of ovalbumin (OVA) gels induced by glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) and heat treatment was investigated. The results suggested that the interaction between CMC-Na and OVA was mainly through hydrogen bonding. The water-holding capacity of CMC-Na/OVA composite gels gradually increased as CMC-Na concentration increased, while the viscoelasticity was first enhanced and then weakened. The hardness and elasticity of the composite gels were higher than those of the pure OVA gels when the CMC-Na concentration was lower than 0.4%. However, the hardness and springiness of the composite gels decreased significantly after further increasing the CMC-Na addition. The change in texture properties induced by CMC-Na under glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) and heat treatment provided theoretical support for developing soft gel products with abundant protein for special groups, such as the elderly, teenagers, and pregnant women.

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) undergoes deacetylation in alkaline conditions, while κ-carrageenan (CRG) is sensitive to potassium ions. This study examines the influence of K2CO3 on the mechanical properties of KGM/CRG-based camellia oil Pickering emulsion gels. Texture analysis and rheological testing revealed that the addition of K2CO3 significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of emulsion gels. Texture parameters, such as the hardness, gumminess, and chewiness of the gel, were closer to those of pork back fat when the K2CO3 concentration was 0.2 M. The addition of K2CO3 enhance the intermolecular crosslinking within the gel and formed a more uniform and dense gel network, promoting gelation and structural stability, which were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and microstructural analysis. Besides, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance and thermogravimetric analyses indicated that the addition of K2CO3 reduced the water mobility of the gel and improved its thermal stability. Physicochemical and color analysis results showed that the energy value of the camellia oil Pickering emulsion gel was only 15.9 % that of pork back fat, and its appearance was closer to that of pork back fat than hydrogels. This study provides technical support for the use of KGM/CRG-based camellia oil Pickering emulsion gels as fat analogs.

This study investigates the effects and underlying mechanisms of freeze-thawing on the mechanical properties of Pickering emulsion gels composed of konjac glucomannan/x-carrageenan (KGM/CRG) induced by K2CO3. The results showed that as the number of freeze-thaw cycles increased, syneresis and water loss during the squeezing of the gels significantly rose, while their shear strength gradually increased. After two freeze-thaw cycles, the gel exhibited maximum hardness. Microstructural analysis revealed that ice crystals disrupted the original gel network, leading to the aggregation of oil droplets and the dissipation of water. During freezing, the crystallization of water enhanced interactions among polysaccharide molecules, resulting in a more robust and denser KGM-CRG network. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed an increase in the crystallinity of the gel following freeze-thaw cycle treatment. Furthermore, compared to fresh samples, the freeze-thawed emulsion gels displayed higher storage and loss modulus. These findings suggest that Pickering emulsion gels show increased mechanical properties after treatment. Additionally, this study illustrated the potential mechanisms by which freeze-thaw treatment modifies the microstructure of Pickering emulsion gels and influences their gel properties, providing a theoretical foundation for the design of emulsion-gel foods through freeze-thaw cycle treatment.

Camellia oil is highly regarded for its rich nutritional value; however, its inherent instability limits its application in food processing. To enhance the stability of camellia oil emulsions, this study introduced konjac glucomannan (KGM) and systematically investigated its effects on the physical stability, rheological properties, and microstructure of sodium caseinate-stabilized camellia oil O/W emulsions. The emulsion droplet size and emulsification index were firstly analysed, and the results showed that high KGM concentration induced a decrease in droplet size and an increase in emulsion stability. With the increase in oil-water mass ratio (0.2-0.7), the droplet size gradually increased and was uniformly spherical, and the emulsification index of the emulsions decreased with the addition of high KGM level, which prolonged the storage time of the emulsions. The rheology and microstructure showed that with the increase in KGM concentration, film-like connections were formed between droplets, and a more solid, rigid gel network was formed inside the emulsion, which effectively trapped the emulsified droplets and further increased the stability of the emulsion. This study provides a new theoretical basis for optimizing the stability of camellia oil emulsions by KGM and broadens the application prospects of camellia oil in the food industry.

The low stability of water-in-oil-in-water (W1/O/W2) double emulsions greatly limits their applications. Therefore, in this study, W1/O/W2 Pickering double emulsions (PDEs) were prepared by a two-step emulsification method using polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) and xanthan gum/lysozyme nanoparticles (XG/Ly NPs) as lipophilic and hydrophilic emulsifiers, respectively. The regulation mechanism of the performance of PDEs by XG/Ly NPs was investigated, and the ability of the system to co-encapsulate epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and β-carotene was evaluated. The results showed that increasing the XG/Ly NPs concentration can enhance the stability of PDEs. At 60% W2 phase percentage and 2.0% XG/Ly NPs, the PDEs showed a smaller droplet size (23.47 ± 2.28 μm) and no phase separation after 21 days of storage. Additionally, the PDEs co-encapsulated system showed higher encapsulation efficiency (EGCG: 89.21%; β-carotene: 99.14%) and maintained high retention of active substances after 8 h of UV illumination (EGCG: 75.51%; β-carotene: 77.24%). As demonstrated by in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion assays, the bioaccessibility of EGCG and β-carotene simultaneously encapsulated was improved by 66.0% and 36.2%, respectively, compared with that of individually encapsulated EGCG and β-carotene. Overall, this study provides a new reference for the construction of highly stable PDEs and is promising as a co-encapsulation carrier for environmentally sensitive components.

κ-Carrageenan (CRG)/konjac glucomannan (KGM) composite gels have promising applications in food texture modification and drug delivery, but are limited by poor mechanical strength. This study investigated the effects of KGM concentration and moisture content on the mechanical properties of these gels. The results show that increasing KGM concentration combined with moisture regulation substantially enhances the mechanical strength of the gels. At a KGM concentration of 0.6