Carboxymethylcellulose-induced depletion attraction to stabilize high internal phase Pickering emulsions for the elderly: 3D printing and ß-carotene delivery.

In this study, a carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) induced depletion attraction was developed to stabilize high internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPPEs) as age-friendly 3D printing inks. The results demonstrated that depletion force induced the adsorption of yolk particles at the droplet interface and the formation of osmotic droplet clusters, thereby increasing the stability of HIPPEs. In addition, the rheological properties and nutrient delivery properties of HIPPEs could be adjusted by the mass ratio of yolk/CMC. The HIPPEs stabilized at yolk/CMC mass ratio 20:7.5 showed optimal printability, viscoelastic, structural recovery, and swallowability. HIPPEs have been applied to 3D printing, International Dysphagia Dietary Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) test, and in vitro digestive simulation in the elderly, indicating their attractive appearance, safe swallowability, and enhanced bioaccessibility of ß-carotene. Our work provides new ideas for developing age-friendly foods with plasticity and nutrient delivery capacity by depletion attraction stabilizing HIPPEs.

Development of high internal phase Pickering emulsions stabilized by egg yolk and carboxymethylcellulose complexes to improve ß-carotene bioaccessibility for the elderly.

The work aimed to develop the multi-protein mixture of egg yolk as natural particles to stabilize high internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPPEs) to improve the bioaccessibility of ß-carotene in the elderly. The results showed that the depletion attraction drove the adsorption of egg yolk protein particles at the oil-water interface and the formation of osmotic droplet clusters due to the attachment of particle-coated droplets in the dispersed phase, leading to kinetic blocking and stable gelation of HIPPEs. Rheological measurements showed that HIPPEs had shear thinning, low shear stress, viscoelastic properties, and structural recovery properties, which facilitated easy consumption for the elderly. The stability of HIPPEs was verified by ionic and centrifugal stability tests, demonstrating their potential for application to complex gastric environments. HIPPEs have been applied to the International Dysphagia Dietary Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) test and simulated in vitro digestion in older adults, demonstrating their safe swallowability and high ß-carotene bioaccessibility. Our findings suggest solutions for food practitioners facing the aging problem and provide new insights for preparing age-friendly foods.