Freeze-thaw (FT) cycles often induce severe deterioration in the gel quality of Litopenaeus vannamei surimi, which poses a major challenge to the surimi processing industry. Egg white protein (EWP) and transglutaminase (TG) are widely recognized for their capacity to modify protein structures and enhance gel properties. However, the synergistic mechanisms by which EWP and TG mitigate FT-induced gel quality impairment in L. vannamei surimi remain insufficiently explored. The effects of 2% EWP, 0.2% TG, and their combination on the gel quality of FT-treated L. vannamei surimi were evaluated. Compared with the FT-treated group, individual addition of EWP or TG significantly increased gel strength and reduced cooking loss (P < 0.05). Notably, the EWP-TG combination exhibited the most pronounced synergistic improvements relative to single addition. Myofibrillar protein analysis revealed that FT treatment significantly elevated turbidity and surface hydrophobicity while decreasing free sulfhydryl group content. In contrast, the EWP-TG combination effectively reversed these FT-induced adverse changes, reducing turbidity and surface hydrophobicity by strengthening protein-water interactions and increasing free sulfhydryl group levels to preserve protein structural stability. Rheological measurements demonstrated that the combination markedly alleviated the FT-induced decline in apparent viscosity, indicating enhanced gel network integrity. Scanning electron microscopy observations confirmed that FT treatment resulted in a porous, rough gel microstructure with irregular fissures, whereas the EWP-TG combination yielded a smooth, uniform, and compact gel network by promoting crosslinking between protein molecules. The combination of 2% EWP and 0.2% TG significantly enhanced the gel quality of FT-damaged L. vannamei surimi through a synergistic mechanism. EWP acted as a structural modulator via hydrophobic interactions, while TG mediated covalent crosslinking to reinforce the protein network, collectively mitigating FT-induced structural damage. These findings provide valuable insights and practical implications for developing effective strategies to improve the stability and quality of FT-processed shrimp surimi in industrial production. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

The treatment of metastatic bone cancer may benefit from multifunctional platforms that integrate emerging oncological strategies, such as localized brachytherapy and magnetic hyperthermia. Multimodal strategies integrating localized brachytherapy and magnetic hyperthermia within bone-targeted injectable systems remain poorly explored in the literature. The present study investigates the physicochemical and structural properties of non-activated injectable formulations based on PL-407 hydrogel containing holmium-doped bioactive glass (BG5Ho), zoledronic acid (ZA), and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs). The aim of this work was to elucidate the intrinsic interactions among formulation components prior to the neutron activation strategy. Thermal experiments confirmed the thermosensitive behavior of the developed formulations, being liquid at low temperatures and a hard gel at physiological temperatures, ensuring injectable properties. Rheological analyses revealed that SPIONs play a critical role in structural organization: while neither ZA nor SPIONs alone affected viscosity, their combined presence substantially enhanced gel strength and rigidity, resulting in a more structured and mechanically stable hydrogel compared to formulations without these components. SAXS analysis elucidated the structural mechanism: SPIONs compact the poloxamer micellar structures, reducing micellar volume while preventing nanoparticle aggregation. Such features create an optimized microenvironment for ZA incorporation and retention within the polymeric matrix. Biological evaluation shows that all formulations reduced MG63 osteosarcoma cell viability, while SPION-containing formulations improved the viability of pre-osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. The overall results provide new insight into how SPIONs act as structural regulators within poloxamer–bioactive glass formulations, clarifying the intrinsic supramolecular organization that governs structural stability and biological response in the non-activated state.

Physicochemical recycling of perlite from agar extraction waste for repeated reuse and its enhancement mechanism on agar quality.

The development of a novel emulgel based on walnut-extracted oleosomes and κ-carrageenan for food applications.

Gelatin is a valuable hydrocolloid produced by partial hydrolysis of collagen from mainly mammalian and fish sources. The rheological properties of fish gelatin differ from those of mammalian species in terms of gel strength, viscosity, and other rheological characteristics, even from different fish species and parts of the fish with different properties. Fish gelatin is sustainable for the environment and easy for people to accept for cultural reasons. Owing to these properties, gelatin is used across food, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and health sectors, where 3D printing enables customization and functional performance. Key determinants of print fidelity include gelatin concentration, rheological properties, temperature, gelling behavior, water content, and printing parameters. Suitability for 3D printing is typically assessed via physicochemical characterization, particularly rheology and gelling mechanisms/kinetics. Gelatin-based 3D printing systems offer various advantages due to their biocompatibility, low cost, and controllable rheological properties, and they have potential applications in the food, healthcare, biomedical, tissue engineering, and drug delivery system areas. Using gelatin in combination with other additives can improve printing accuracy and mechanical strength parameters, overcome the limitations of gelatin's inherent mechanical strength, and develop higher printing accuracy and performance systems. This allows for the development of functional, innovative, and high-value-added products while ensuring safe use.

Synergistic enhancement of gelling properties of low-salt shrimp surimi via ultra-high pressure and egg white protein integration: A multiscale structural approach.

Effects of sodium hyaluronate with different molecular weights on whey protein-sodium hyaluronate complexes and emulsion gels, and their application in yogurt.

Oleogels formed using natural waxes undergo a sol-gel transition as the temperature decreases. Such a transition is due to the formation of a hierarchical three-dimensional crystalline network formed by the wax crystals. The properties at the interfaces of these crystals play a crucial role in shaping the overall viscoelastic response of bulk materials. Although this transition governs their processing and functional performance, it has not been examined using critical gelation theory. In this work, we investigate the sol-gel transition in beeswax-corn oil oleogels by performing a detailed linear viscoelastic analysis. When subjected to an oscillatory shear flow field while decreasing temperature, the dynamic moduli exhibit an identical power-law dependence on frequency at a certain temperature, confirming the existence of a critical gel state. We also obtain various critical scaling relations with respect to different linear viscoelastic properties in the pre-gel and post-gel states. Remarkably, the corresponding scaling exponents satisfy the hyperscaling relations, validating the critical gelation framework. We also quantify the effects of wax concentration, which cause an increase in the fractal dimension as well as the gel strength. We believe that this study provides the first comprehensive validation of the critical gelation theory for wax-based oleogels. This work also establishes a unified linear viscoelastic description of their sol-gel transition, offering a predictive framework for formulation and processing near the gel point. Finally, we create a logical design framework for manipulating the mechanical stiffness and thermal durability of oleogels for various applications, such as shape-retaining cosmetics and spreadable food products. This is achieved by correlating the scaling behavior with the composition as well as the thermal history of the oleogels.

Structural, rheological, and tribological properties of cellulose nanofibers prepared by combined ball milling and high-pressure microfluidization.

Enhancing the properties of Pleurotus ostreatus protein-konjac glucomannan gels through pH regulation: Gel formation mechanism and application in low-fat cheese sticks.

Synergistic texture enhancement of fibrous and amorphous fava bean protein fractions in reduced-phosphate myofibrillar protein gels: A concerted physical and chemical cross-linking mechanism.

Probiotic-driven modifications in structural properties enhance protein digestibility and amino acid availability in yogurt

A comparative study on cryoprotective and water-retaining effects of trehalose and sodium pyrophosphate on silver carp surimi during frozen storage.

Synergistic effects of ginseng polysaccharide on the structural and rheological properties of soy protein isolate-konjac gum emulsion gels: Potential application in quercetin delivery and dysphagia management.

Synergistic effects of ultrasound-assisted freezing and NADES on the cryostability of surimi gel: Perspective of quality and molecular structure.

This study examined the effect of heat–moisture treatment (HMT) at 100, 110, or 120 °C for 10 min on the multi-scale structure, functional properties, and in vitro digestibility of the starch isolated from low-GI rice. The HMT decreased the leaching rate and swelling power of the starch, compared to those of the untreated starch. The relative crystallinity decreased, and the short-range molecular order increased as the treatment temperature increased from 24.3% to 15.8%. The weight-average molecular weight decreased from 1.7 × 107 g/mol to 0.9 × 107 g/mol with a broad molecular weight distribution and increased particle size. The proportion of the short amylopectin chains (DP 6–12) increased while that of the long chains (DP > 36) decreased. Mild HMT (100 °C) increased gel strength, while higher-intensity HMT (110–120 °C) reduced G′ as measured by rheology. The content of rapidly digestible starch in rice starch was reduced from 68.7% to 57.4%, slowly digestible starch was increased from 24.5% to 26.8%, resistant starch was enhanced from 6.9% to 15.8%, and the digestion lag time was prolonged to 28.62 min. The in vitro digestion assays indicated that the estimated glycemic index of starch treated at 120 °C was 48.80. This sample exhibited the highest suppression of digestibility. It also showed the highest increase in resistant starch content. The results provide a theoretical ground for low-GI product development from HMT modified rice starch.

This study aimed to assess the interaction between chicken myofibrillar protein and cranberry bean powder (CBP) processed through different drying methods, including oven-drying (OD) and freeze-drying (FD), along with cranberry bean protein isolates (CBPI), on the rheological properties of chicken myofibrillar protein gels (MPGs). Two experiments were done in this study. The isolated MPG treated with various levels of CBP in different drying methods was prepared for the first experiment. The MPG with CBP and CBPI with different drying methods was prepared and compared to soy protein isolate (SPI) in the second experiment. The cooking yield (CY), gel strength (GS), viscosity, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and microstructure were measured in both experiments. The results showed that freeze-drying isolate (FDI) exhibited the best GS, CY, and viscosity, all of which were comparable to those of SPI. FDI demonstrated superior protein-protein interactions, as evidenced by SDS-PAGE and scanning electron microscopy analyses of well-formed structures. FD performed better than OD in terms of GS and viscosity but still lower than FDI. OD samples, which contained higher levels of carbohydrates and starch, displayed lower GS and less stable gel networks, indicating that starch may interfere with protein matrix formation. The addition of FDI or SPI was shown to be the most effective in enhancing the rheological properties of MPGs, and the higher levels of powder addition also improved viscosity, GS, and CY.

Mechanistic insights into the synergistic effects of catechin and l-lysine on the myofibrillar protein structure and gelation under low-sodium oxidative stress.

In the face of challenging downhole conditions, the fresh state behavior of cement grouts employed for well cementation is as crucial as their mechanical properties. If not properly formulated, their primary purpose of providing zonal isolation of the steel casing from the surrounding formation may not be fulfilled. This study presents a rheological analysis of innovative lightweight slurry formulations utilizing finely ground seashell waste powder as a complete substitute for metakaolin. Replacing metakaolin with seashell waste powder aims to mitigate the environmental impact of well cementation and improve the fresh state behavior. Investigations are conducted using powders derived from various seashell wastes( Crassostrea gigas , Pinctada maxima , Pecten maximus , and Crepidula fornicata ) without the addition of chemical additives. The influence of elevated temperature on gelation, Yield Stress (YS), and Plastic Viscosity (PV) of the seashell slurries is compared with that of a conventional geothermal formulation containing metakaolin. The development of strength under elevated pressure and temperature conditions, similar to those found in downhole environments, is also examined using the ultrasonic cement analyzer (UCA) technique. All slurries demonstrated shear-thinning behavior, with apparent viscosity decreasing as shear rates increase. The findings further reveal a reduction in PV and YS of all seashell waste powder-based slurries relative to the traditional formulation. Moreover, gelation of the slurries formulated with seashell powder occurred more slowly at both ambient temperature and 55 °C. At 85 °C temperature and 18 MPa confining pressure, the compressive strengths obtained from UCA results meet the minimum industrial requirement of 24 h, and the ultimate UCA compressive strength of the seashell slurries surpasses that of the conventional formulation. • The rheology of slurries with seashell waste powder for geothermal cementation was studied. • Seashell waste powder reduces the yield stress and plastic viscosity of slurries. • Gel strength in seashell powder slurries developed gradually at both room temperature and 55 °C. • At 18 MPa and 85 °C, the seashell slurries develop strength beyond the 24-hour minimum requirement. • Seashell waste powder helps maintain slurry pumpability without the use of chemical additives.

The effect of oil unsaturation on gel strength of binary beeswax-candelilla wax oleogels is dependent on the content of hydrocarbons and wax esters.