Lipophilic active substances are of great interest to the field of food and health products because of their natural advantages and potential functional properties. However, they are difficult to effectively digest and absorb in the human body due to their hydrophobicity, environmental sensitivity deficiencies (such as oxygen, light, temperature) and partial or complete degradation in the digestive tract after ingestion. Using alginate nano-delivery carriers with strong stability and barrier effect can effectively solve the above problems while prolonging the release of lipophilic active substances. This paper reviews the structure of alginate and its functional properties such as gelation properties, pH response and biological activity, with a focus on the current status of research on alginate nanocarriers, such as nanoemulsions, nanoparticles, nanogels and nanofibers for the delivery of lipophilic active substances as well as the advantages and disadvantages of different nanocarriers. Finally, this article summarizes the application status of alginate in the food field, aiming to provide a reference for the application of lipophilic active substances in the food field.

Curdlan is one of the polysaccharides that have attracted considerable research interest in the fields of food processing and biomedical development due to its biodegradability, non-toxicity, and wide availability, as well as its anti-tumor and immunomodulatory activities. As the unique triple-helix conformation of curdlan and its self-assembly mechanism have been investigated increasingly, the construction of functional bioactive macromolecules and complexes based on curdlan self-assembly has been gaining increasing attention from researchers. More and more new research directions have emerged in the functional utilization and industrial application of curdlan in the fields of food and biomedicine. This article reviews the self-assembly of curdlan and its applications, with a special focus on the characteristics of the self-assembly process under different induction conditions and the latest progress in the construction of functional materials based on curdlan self-assembly, in order to provide a theoretical reference for studies and applications of curdlan in the food field.

Citral is used in the food field because of its lemon-like aroma and antibacterial biological activity. However, due to its sensitivity to acid, oxygen and light, citral is prone to acid-catalyzed cyclization, oxidation and photochemical degradation, reducing its biological activity and consequently limiting its application. Polysaccharide encapsulation is an effective way to improve the physical and chemical stability of citral and delay its degradation. This article reviews the structural properties of citral and its application in food and beverage as a food preservative, summarizes the methods used for encapsulating and stabilizing citral with polysaccharides including emulsion systems, self-assembly, hydrogels and spray drying as well as the current status of the application of these methods to stabilize citral, and finally points out the problems existing in this field and future research directions. This review hopes to provide a theoretical reference for improving the biological activity of citral and expanding its application in the food field.

Curdlan has unique gel properties and special triple helix conformation, and curdlan gel has great application potential in the fields of food and biomedicine because of its water-retention capacity, thickening capacity, film-forming capacity, freeze-thaw stability, pH stability. Curdlan hydrogels with physicochemical properties and application fields can be prepared by different methods. In addition, combination with other substances can improve gel properties and impart unique functional properties to hydrogels. In this paper, the preparation methods, gel properties, and gelation mechanism of curdlan hydrogels, as well as recent progress in research on curdlan-based composite hydrogels are reviewed. Meanwhile, an overview of the application of curdlan-based hydrogels in food and biomedical fields is provided. This review is expected to provide a reference for further research and application of curdlan-based hydrogels.