3D printing as an emerging processing technology has been applied in food processing and shows great development potential. It produces products according to the predefined computer model through layer-by-layer deposition, which enables the personalized customization of food products in terms of form and nutrient content. The practical application of this technology faces two bottlenecks, namely the scarcity of available food materials and the poor formability of printed products, and developing a suitable food formulation for 3D printing and optimizing the printing process are key to breaking through the material limitations and technical bottlenecks of 3D printing. In addition, 3D food printing shows great promise in developing easy-to-swallow foods, whose quality is significantly affected by 3D printing materials and post-processing; however, little research has been conducted on this. This paper reviews the influence of the rheology and thermal properties of food materials on the 3D printing effect, the methods used for the optimization of 3D food printing, and the influence of process parameters on the printing effect, and discusses the influence of printing parameters and different post-treatment processes on the development of easy-to-swallow 3D food products. It aims to provide a theoretical basis for the development and optimization of 3D printed food products.

Edible plant derived exosome-like nanoparticles (ELNs) have been shown to possess numerous bioactive properties with potential health benefits. Cherry tomatoes contain a wide variety of bioactive substances, however, cherry-tomato derived exosome-like nanoparticles (CTELNs) remain unexplored. This study employed a polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation method for the efficient isolation of CTELNs, evaluating five PEG concentrations (ranging from 10% to 30%, w/v) to determine the optimal precipitation conditions. Characterization and compositional analysis demonstrated that CTELNs isolated using 20% PEG displayed superior physicochemical properties. The small RNA sequencing analysis revealed a distinct enrichment of specific microRNAs (miRNA) implicated in the regulation of oxidative stress in CTELNs, such as miR156e-3p, miR156e-5p, miR390a-5p and miR9474-5p. Target gene prediction indicated that CTELNs potentially regulated pathways related to binding and catalytic activity. Notably, nine miRNAs were predicted to target the genes related to oxidative stress. In vitro cellular assays conducted on RAW264.7 cells showed that CTELNs exhibited no significant toxicity. Furthermore, functional validation further confirmed that CTELNs ameliorated H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress. The results of this work suggest that PEG precipitation for CTELNs isolation is feasible and the optimal PEG concentration is determined, which facilitates further exploration of edible plant derived exosome-like nanoparticles. Moreover, the remarkable antioxidant properties of CTELNs support their potential application as natural antioxidative agents in functional foods or nutraceuticals.

Ovalbumin-gallic acid-dextran (OVA-GA-DEX) conjugate was prepared by alkali grafting and dry hot Maillard reaction and its physicochemical properties and effects on the stability and antioxidant activity of resveratrol (RES) were analyzed by comparing with those of ovalbumin-gallic acid (OVA-GA) and ovalbumin-dextran (OVA-DEX). Results showed that covalent binding of GA or DEX with OVA could change the secondary structure compositions of OVA and improve its hydrophilicity and emulsification stability. The particle size distribution of three conjugates (OVA-GA, OVA-DEX and OVA-GA-DEX) in the Pickering emulsion was more uniform. OVA-GA-DEX had a smaller average particle size ((85.07 ± 10.74) nm), suggesting its better stability. The encapsulated OVA-GA-DEX can effectively protect RES from oxidation or degradation, and provide RES with higher antioxidant capacity.

In order to improve the ability of solid zein particles to stabilize Pickering emulsions, octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA)-modified starch was used to modify zein. Zein-OSA starch composite particles were prepared by solvent-antisolvent precipitation method. The interaction between zein and OSA starch and the size and structure of the composite particles were studied, and the effects of the mass ratio of zein to OSA starch on the particle size distribution, storage stability, pH stability and rheological properties of Pickering emulsion stabilized with the composite particles were explored. The results showed that OSA starch could modify zein through non-covalent interactions including electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction, changing the secondary structure of zein and improving its hydrophilicity. The composite particles with zein to OSA starch ratio of 1:3 had the smallest average particle size (163.3 nm) and PDI (0.177), and its contact angle was 87.4°, which indicated that the particles had nearly neutral wettability and were more suitable for stabilizing Pickering emulsions. Meanwhile, Pickering emulsions stabilized by the composite particles had the smallest particle size distribution and the highest storage modulus, loss modulus and apparent viscosity, indicating that OSA starch modification could regulate the interfacial properties of zein composite particles and consequently of Pickering emulsions. The above studies show that the interfacial modification of zein can improve the stability of its solid particles and consequently of Pickering emulsions. This study provides theoretical support for further expanding the comprehensive utilization of zein in emulsion systems.

Chitosan, a natural linear cationic polysaccharide, can be used to design ‘green’ microparticles or nanoparticles to stabilize Pickering emulsions due to its good biodegradability and renewability. Therefore, it has found widespread food application prospect. Although chitosan has weak emulsifying ability, the active functional groups in its molecule can combine with other compounds through covalent or non-covalent interactions to form binary/ternary composite particles, which can improve its ability to stabilize emulsions. Environmentally responsive emulsions have recently become a popular research topic due to their ability to respond to different environmental stresses (pH and temperature). This paper summarizes recent progress in research on chitosan-based Pickering emulsions with respect to the types of chitosan-stabilized Pickering emulsions, graft-modified chitosan composite particle-stabilized Pickering emulsions and environmentally responsive emulsions, and it discusses the application of chitosan-based Pickering emulsions in food preservation, 3D food printing and functional factor carriers, as well as the obstacles encountered. Future prospects for the development of chitosan-based Pickering emulsions are proposed to provide a basis for the in-depth expansion of their applications in food.

In this study, the effects of pea resistant starch type 3 (RS3) at different mass fractions (0%, 2%, 4% and 6%) on the emulsion stability, emulsion gel properties and in vitro digestibility of chicken breast myofibrillar proteins (MP) were analyzed. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed no covalent interaction between MP and pea RS3. The addition of pea RS3 significantly decreased the surface hydrophobicity (P < 0.05) while increasing the fluorescence intensity of MP, indicating enhanced protein-protein interactions. The addition of pea RS3 resulted in improved stability of MP emulsions, as manifested by higher absolute values of zeta potential, smaller droplet sizes and reduced creaming index. These changes promoted the formation of gel networks with improved texture and increased storage modulus (G’), gel strength and water holding capacity (WHC), especially at a pea RS3 concentration of 6%. The chemical force results showed that the addition of pea RS3 led to enhanced hydrophobic interaction and disulfide bonding between MP molecules. Low field-nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) confirmed that pea RS3 addition facilitated the migration of free water to immobilized water. Furthermore, the incorporation of pea RS3 caused a lower pepsin digestibility without changing the overall in vitro digestibility of MP gels. These results indicated that pea RS3 addition can contribute to the production of high-quality meat products with a low glycemic index without reducing protein digestibility.

Epicatechin (EC) was used in this study to antagonize the cognitive dysfunction caused by lead (Pb) exposure in mice. Eight-week-old male Kunming mice were treated with PbCl₂ (20 mg/kg) and/or EC (50 mg/kg) by gavage administration for 4 weeks. Morris water maze test showed that EC could improve memory dysfunction induced by Pb. EC antagonized Ca²⁺ overload, activated Nrf2 signaling pathway and reduced the accumulation of Pb in the brain and serum, which suggested that EC might alter Pb distribution in mice. In vitro, spectroscopic analysis, potentiometric titration and docking studies were applied to inquiry into the interaction between bovine serum albumin (BSA) and Pb²⁺ in presence or absence of EC. EC was proved to chelate Pb²⁺ and reduced the interaction between BSA and Pb²⁺. In summary, EC might protect Pb-induced cognitive impairment by activating Nrf2 signaling pathway, and suppressing Pb accumulation via interference on the binding of Pb to albumin.