Peony seeds, an important oil resource, have been attracting much attention because of α-linolenic acid. Oil bodies (OBs), naturally pre-emulsified oils, have great potential applications in the food industry. This study investigated the effects of extraction pH and Quillaja saponin (QS) on the physicochemical properties of peony oil body (POB) emulsions. POBs were extracted from raw peony milk at pH 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, and 7.0 (named pH 4.0-, 5.0-, 6.0-, and 7.0-POBs). All POBs contained extrinsic proteins and oleosins. The extrinsic proteins of pH 4.0- and pH 5.0-POB were 23 kDa and 38 kDa glycoproteins, the unknown proteins were 48 kDa and 60 kDa, while the 48 kDa and 38 kDa proteins were completely removed under the extraction condition of pH 6.0 and 7.0. The percentage of extrinsic proteins gradually decreased from 78.4% at pH 4.0-POB to 33.88% at pH 7.0-POB, while oleosin contents increased. The particle size and zeta potential of the POB emulsions decreased, whereas the oxidative stability, storage stability, and pI increased with the increasing extraction pH. QS (0.05~0.3%) increased the negative charges of all the POB emulsions, and 0.1% QS significantly improved the dispersion, storage, and the oxidative stability of the POB emulsions. This study provides guidance for selecting the proper conditions for the aqueous extraction of POBs and improving the stability of OB emulsions.

Cellulose-based aerogel is an environmentally friendly multifunctional material that is renewable, biodegradable, and easily surface-modified. However, due to its flammability, cellulose serves as an ignition source in fire incidents, leading to the combustion of building materials and resulting in significant economic losses and safety risks. Consequently, it is essential to develop cellulose-based building materials with flame-retardant properties. Initially, a porous cellulose-based flame-retardant aerogel was successfully synthesized through freeze-drying, utilizing lignocellulose as the raw material. Subsequently, phosphorylation of cellulose was coupled with Ca²⁺ cross-linking via self-assembly and surface deposition effects to enhance its flame-retardant properties. Finally, the synthesized materials were characterized using infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, mechanical compression testing, and scanning electron microscopy. The aerogel of the phosphorylated cellulose nanofibrils cross-linked via 1.5% CaCl₂ exhibited the most effective flame-retardant properties and the best mechanical characteristics, achieving a UL-94 test rating of V-0 and a maximum flame-retardant rate of 90.6%. Additionally, its compressive strength and elastic modulus were recorded at 0.39 and 0.98 MPa, respectively. The preparation process is environmentally friendly, yielding products that demonstrate significant flame-retardant effects and are non-toxic. This product is anticipated to replace polymer-based commercial aerogel materials, representing a sustainable solution to the issue of “white pollution”.

Samples of marine surimi made from six different fish types have been comprehensively investigated and compared in terms of chemical composition, protease activity, gelling chemistry, gel properties and 3D printability. It has been found that surimi with high protein content, low fat concentration, low activity of endogenous protease (cathepsin B, cathepsin L, cathepsin D, calpain and serine protease) and low TVB-N showed better gelling capacity and gel properties. However, the 3D printability of surimi was more relevant to apparent viscosity. The surimi with viscosity between 5000 Pa·s and 12,000 Pa·s yielded better printing performance as indicated by higher printing accuracy than 97% and less cooking loss. This study clarified the effects of marine fish types on the corresponding surimi gelation and gel properties, and successfully established relationships between surimi properties and 3D printing performance, thus providing new insights on exploring new surimi sources and developing 3D surimi printing techniques.

In this study, we investigated the encapsulation of β-carotene (β-CE) within sunflower oil body (SFOB) emulsions and examined the role of xanthan gum (XG) in enhancing stability and digestion behavior. The optimal conditions were heating at 45 °C for 15 min, ultrasonic treatment at 270 W for 20 min, and homogenization at 80 MPa, achieving encapsulation efficiency (EE) up to 92%. Furthermore, XG was incorporated to improve structural, oxidative, thermal, and digestive stability. More than 1.5% XG enhanced absolute value of zeta potential (21.3 mV to 23.7 mV), reduced particle size (6.52 μm), and prevented phase separation. XG-coated emulsions exhibited improved stability under heating and oxidative conditions. Additionally, XG enhanced protein digestibility and lipid hydrolysis, as well as the bioaccessibility of β-CE during gastrointestinal digestion. The XG coating also improved photostability under sunlight and UV exposure, with 2% XG emulsions showing the least degradation of β-CE. Moreover, the 2% XG emulsion demonstrated the highest release of free fatty acids (85.75%) and β-CE utilization (80%). These results highlight the potential of SFOB-XG emulsions for the effective delivery of lipophilic bioactives.