Emulsion Gel Formulations in Food Technology
Summary
Emulsion gels are semi‐solid systems in which discrete oil or water droplets are immobilised within a three‐dimensional polymeric network. By combining the structural integrity of gels with the controlled dispersion of emulsions, these materials offer unique textural, mechanical and release properties. In food technology, emulsion gels serve as vehicles for encapsulating lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactives, as fat replacers to reduce caloric density and as structuring agents in plant-based analogues of dairy and meat products. Formulation strategies typically employ proteins, polysaccharides or mixed biopolymers to stabilise the dispersed phase and form gel matrices through thermal, enzymatic or non-thermal triggers such as high-pressure homogenisation, microfluidisation or ultrasound. The resulting systems can be tuned for shear-thinning flow, temperature resilience and targeted release under gastrointestinal conditions. Applications range from low-fat spreads and fat-mimetic textures to delivery platforms for vitamins, antioxidants and probiotics, meeting global demands for healthier, more sustainable food products with tailored sensory profiles and functional performance.
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Emulsion Gel Formulations in Food Technology publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in emulsion gel formulations in food technology across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Emulsion gel: A semi‐solid colloidal system in which disperse oil or water droplets are immobilised within a continuous gel network.
Pickering emulsion: An emulsion stabilised by solid particles adsorbed at the droplet interface rather than by molecular surfactants.
Rheology: The study of flow and deformation of materials; in emulsion gels this determines texture, spreadability and processing behaviour.
Cross-linking: The formation of covalent or non-covalent bonds between polymer chains, producing a three-dimensional network that imparts gel structure.
Shear-thinning: A non-Newtonian flow behaviour where viscosity decreases under applied shear, facilitating processing and oral breakdown.
References
- Jammed Pickering Emulsion Gels. Advanced Science (2024).
- Engineering Emulsion Gels as Functional Colloids Emphasizing Food Applications: A Review. Frontiers in Nutrition (2022).
- Food Emulsion Gels from Plant-Based Ingredients: Formulation, Processing, and Potential Applications. Gels (2023).
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