Beeswax-based organogels were formulated with linseed oil and curcumin according to a statistical design to increase the oxidative stability of spreadable meat products (pâté) where these organogels (OGCur) were incorporated as fat substitutes. The organogels obtained under optimal conditions (9.12% beeswax, 0.54% curcumin) showed a mechanical strength similar to pork backfat determined by back extrusion and high oil binding capacity (OBC; over 90%). The incorporation of curcumin at this concentration did not lead to any change in the arrangement of the crystal network, OBC, and mechanical, thermal, or rheological properties of the organogels. Beeswax organogels with and without curcumin, with a β’ orthorhombic subcell structure, showed a predominant elastic behavior and a melting event wider and shifted to lower temperatures than pure beeswax, suggesting a plasticizer effect of the oil in the wax crystals. The oxidative stability of the organogels under accelerated oxidation conditions increased due to the incorporation of curcumin. A decrease in the curcumin content was found from day 4 at 60 °C, together with a significantly lower formation of both peroxides and malonaldehyde. When pork backfat was partially or totally replaced by OGCur in pâtés, a noticeable protective effect of curcumin against lipid oxidation was found during chilled storage

The effect of the physical state of flavonoid-inulin microparticles (semi-crystalline/amorphous) on the oxidative stability of lipid matrices was studied. Epicatechin (E) and quercetin (Q) microparticles with inulin were formulated at two infeed temperatures (15 °C and 90 °C) by spray drying. X-ray diffraction analyses showed that flavonoid-inulin microparticles obtained at feed temperature of 15 °C were semi-crystalline (E-In-15, 61.2% and Q-In-15, 60%), whereas those at 90 °C were amorphous (Q-In-90, 1.73 and Q-In-90 2.30%). Semi-crystalline state of flavonoid-inulin microparticles enhanced the EE (68.8 and 67.8% for E and Q, respectively) compared to amorphous state (41.6 and 51.1% for E and Q, respectively). However, amorphous Q-microparticles showed the highest antioxidant activity both in methyl linoleate and sunflower oil, increasing the induction period and decreasing the polar compounds and polymer triglyceride formation during long-term oxidation study. Therefore, the physical state of spray-dried flavonoid-inulin microparticles may determine their antioxidant activity in lipid matrices.

A small fraction of an acrylate liquid crystalline monomer (≤5%) is mixed into nematic and smectic liquid crystalline phases, and polymerised through the application of a voltage (electropolymerisation). Polarising optical microscopy reveals that the textures during polymerisation are templated through stabilisation via the forming polymer. During polymerisation in the nematic phase, the director can be observed to gradually reorient into the field-on state. Scanning electron microscopy reveals rope-like and corrugated structures of a distinctive periodicity (500–750 nm). Quite different polymer structures are formed by electropolymerisation in the smectic phase, such as micron-scale worm-like objects that agglomerate reversibly as the temperature changes.

The synthesis and phase characterisation of two homologous series of monomers of acrylic azo-compounds has been presented. The characterisation comprises polarising optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD). All studied monomers exhibit a narrow nematic phase with decrease in temperature range while increasing the alkoxy tail length. For the resorcinic azo benzenes at higher tail lengths, SmA and SmC phases are present. Phenolic azo compounds show only SmA phase. The resorcinic family showed more stable phases, with broader liquid crystalline temperature range than its phenolic equivalent. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

We observe the changes in the interactions of the liquid crystal (E)-6-(3-hydroxy-4-(((4-octyloxy)phenyl)imino)methyl) phenoxy)hexyl methacrylate (M6R8) with nanoparticles of TiO₂ as the concentration of the nanoparticle increases from 0 wt% to 30 wt%, both as a monomer as well as when they are electropolymerised with the nanoparticles included. The system is studied using transmission X-ray scattering, grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and in-plane direction X-ray scattering. We have found that in addition to the monomer peak, we observe two peaks: a shoulder peak that appears close to the liquid crystal peak and a smaller peak that develops with particle concentration. These two peaks can be considered a result of nanoparticle – liquid crystal interaction. We find that as a function of the concentration the smC can be disordered or ordered, while the smA phases converge to the same order of magnitude, as shown by the convergence of the correlation length ξ. The order observed in the smA phase appears to be the same no matter the concentration used. Once electropolymerised we find no convergence in the region of the smA mesophase of the monomer.