Low-internal-phase and high-viscoelastic emulsion gel synergistically stabilized by buckwheat protein microgel and carboxylated cellulose nanofibers

With the increasing demand for healthy diets, low-fat foods have gradually become a hot issue. This study successfully prepared low-internal-phase and high-viscoelastic emulsion gels using the synergistic effect between buckwheat protein microgel (BPM) and carboxylated cellulose nanofibers (CNF). The effects of the ratio of BPM to CNF on the microstructure, stability, rheological properties, and 3D printing characteristics of the emulsion gels were investigated. The results showed that the emulsion gels with good viscoelasticity could not be constructed when BPM or CNF alone was used as a stabilizer. The emulsion gels synergistically stabilized by BPM and CNF had a dense microstructure, good environmental stability, and rheological properties. When the ratio of BPM to CNF was 3:7, emulsion gels with different oil phase fractions (5 %, 10 %, 30 %, and 50 %) showed elasticity-dominated solid-like behavior and excellent environmental stability. The 3D printing results show that with the addition of CNF, the emulsion gel stabilized synergistically by BPM and CNF exhibits better extrusion and self-supporting behaviors, and all the print products can precisely replicate the preset models. Therefore, this study may provide new design ideas for constructing low-internal-phase and high-viscoelastic emulsions and their application in 3D-printed food.