Effects of co-assembly of gliadin and carboxymethyl cellulose on the high internal phase pickering emulsions: Rheology properties, 3D printing performance and oil-soluble nutrient delivery

Abstract

High internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPPEs) stabilized with gliadin-based particles have received considerable attention because of the advantages of easy access, low cost and clean label. However, the relatively weak self-supporting and thixotropic recovery properties limit their application in food 3D printing. The present study investigated the effects of co-assembly of gliadin and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) on the gel network structure, viscoelasticity, thixotropic recovery, 3D printing properties and β-carotene delivery performance of HIPPEs stabilized with gliadin-based colloid particles. The results showed that the combination of gliadin and CMC significantly enhanced the density of gel network structure of HIPPEs and endowed the HIPPEs solid-like viscoelasticity, moderate shear thinning behavior and excellent thixotropic recovery rate as well as 3D printability. The HIPPEs realized an optimal performance at a gliadin/CMC mass ratio of 2:1, with a thixotropic recovery rate up to 93.23 ± 0.72 %, and the corresponding printed 3D model had a smooth surface, regular shape, and good printing accuracy. In addition, the potential application of HIPPEs in delivery of oil-soluble nutrients was investigated using β-carotene as a model. The result suggested that the stability and bioaccessibility of β-carotene was significantly improved from 25.71 ± 0.29 % to 59.70 ± 0.99 % and 12.30 ± 0.11 % to 37.04 ± 0.76 % respectively as the existence of CMC. This study provides references for the construction and design of food 3D printing materials.