ABSTRACT Food texture and structural stability are critical determinants of consumer acceptance and overall product quality in the food industry. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of gelling and foaming mechanisms, focusing on traditional hydrocolloids (pectin and gelatin) alongside emerging plant‐based alternatives, such as aquafaba (chickpea cooking water). For gelling systems, we examine the molecular networks driving matrix formation, highlighting how processing variables and natural source variability complicate texture control in clean‐label formulations. For foaming systems, the mechanisms of surface tension reduction, gas incorporation, and interfacial stabilization are analyzed against critical environmental factors, including pH, temperature, and surfactant concentration. The key findings underscore a growing industrial shift toward sustainable, plant‐derived texturizers that mimic the viscoelastic properties of animal proteins. Ultimately, this review bridges the gap between fundamental macromolecular behavior and practical applications, offering actionable insights for food scientists aiming to innovate clean‐label formulations, optimize structural stability, and enhance the sensory profiles of aerated and gelled matrices.
Pectin-protein complexes have emerged as promising functional ingredients in texture-modified foods (TMF) due to their multifunctional roles in gelation, emulsification, and water retention. These properties enable the design of customized textures for applications such as dysphagia-friendly products, plant-based meat...
Jin Xie, Jing-Xuan Wang, Xiao-Xian Liu et al.· Comprehensive Reviews in Foo...· 0 citations
Emulsion-filled hydrogels (EFHs) have emerged as transformative soft-matter systems that bridge the gap between lipid-based emulsions and polymeric hydrogels, enabling multifunctional applications in modern food design. Hydrogel networks act as a protective layer for emulsions by imparting tenable texture, enhanced sta...
Mohammad Tarahi, Muhammad Mustafa Abeer, Oluwatobi Victoria Obayomi et al.· Advances in Colloid and Inte...· 0 citations
Gellan gum (GG) is an anionic microbial polysaccharide widely used in foods because of its efficient gelation, thermal stability, and ion-responsive structuring. However, the contrasting limitations of high- and low-acyl GG, together with their sensitivity to molecular weight, ions, pH, thermal history, and food-matrix...
Yong Zhou, Shi-Yi Chen, Yan Jiang et al.· Foods· 0 citations
The development of sustainable materials for additive manufacturing (AM) has positioned starch as a compelling alternative to conventional thermoplastics. However, the successful implementation of starch in 3D printing (3DP) relies on precise control of its supramolecular organization, rheological behavior, and process...
Polysaccharide hydrocolloids are fundamental to modern food design because their molecular architecture dictates techno‐functional performance. This review synthesizes current knowledge on sources, structural features and functional roles, establishing clear links between monomer identity, substitution patterns (degr...
Crossby Osei Tutu, R. Acheampong, P. T. Akonor et al.· Journal of food process engi...· 1 citation
Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) has attracted increasing interest in food systems because of its renewable origin, high safety, processing adaptability, and physicochemical stability. As an approved food additive, MCC can function as a thickener, stabilizer, gelling agent, texture modifier, and structural component...
Su-Yu Li, Kai-Ru Li, Hao-Tian Bai et al.· ACS Food Science & Techn...· 0 citations
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