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Gelling Agents, Micro and Nanogels in Food System Applications

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Application of Nanotechnology in Food Science, Processing and Packaging

Abstract

Across the world many gelled items are manufactured and they are elastic in nature. The most frequent gelling components used in meals are polysaccharides and proteins. The method of gel formation is determined by the type of the gelling agents and the circumstances of gelation, such as temperature, ion presence, pH, and concentration of gelling agents. Food gels may exceed synthetic alternatives owing to their renewable supply, cheap, bio-compatibility, and bio-degradability. In food industry, the quality of food products, texture, taste, shelf life, delivery can be improved through the use of gelling agents, microgels and nanogels. Gelling agents can serve as a natural barrier between food and its environment, allowing moisture, gases, and volatiles to pass through while conferring protection and controlled release property. This chapter focuses on the functional characteristics of gelling agents, microgels and nanogels applications in food system.

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Abbreviations

DSC:

Differential scanning calorimeter

FTIR:

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

GA:

Gelling agent

NMR:

Nuclear magnetic resonance

SEM:

Scanning electron microscopy

TEM:

Transmission electron microscopy

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan

    Neelma Munir, Maria Hasnain & Huma Waqif

  2. Biochemistry Unit, Department of Natural Sciences, Precious Cornerstone University, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Babatunde Oluwafemi Adetuyi

  3. Nutritional Biochemistry and Toxicology Unit, Africa Centre of Excellence in Public Health and Toxicological Research (ACE-PUTOR), University of Port-Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State, Nigeria

    Chukwuebuka Egbuna & Kingsley C. Patrick-Iwuanyanwu

  4. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, Anambra State, Nigeria

    Chukwuebuka Egbuna & Chukwudi Jude Chikwendu

  5. Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, Anambra State, Nigeria

    Michael C. Olisah

  6. Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu, Nigeria

    Chukwuemelie Zedech Uche

  7. Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

    Abeer Mohamed Ali El Sayed

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  1. Neelma Munir
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  2. Maria Hasnain
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  5. Chukwuebuka Egbuna
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  6. Michael C. Olisah
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  7. Chukwudi Jude Chikwendu
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  8. Chukwuemelie Zedech Uche
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  9. Kingsley C. Patrick-Iwuanyanwu
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  10. Abeer Mohamed Ali El Sayed
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Natural Science Department of Biochemistry, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli, Nigeria

    Chukwuebuka Egbuna

  2. Universidade da Madeira, Funchal, Portugal

    Jaison Jeevanandam

  3. University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

    Kingsley C. Patrick-Iwuanyanwu

  4. University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

    Eugene N. Onyeike

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Munir, N. et al. (2022). Gelling Agents, Micro and Nanogels in Food System Applications. In: Egbuna, C., Jeevanandam, J., C. Patrick-Iwuanyanwu, K., N. Onyeike, E. (eds) Application of Nanotechnology in Food Science, Processing and Packaging . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98820-3_10

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