Edible CO₂-Responsive Wormlike Micelles with Docosahexaenoic Acid

Due to their unique microstructure and modifiable rheological properties, wormlike micelles that respond to environmental stimulation have garnered significant interest in recent years. Among them, CO₂-responsive wormlike micelles have the advantages of simple preparation and controllable properties, which have significant development potential in the food chemistry field of thickeners. In this study, CO₂-responsive wormlike micelles were prepared using docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), pyridoxamine (PA), and glucosamine (GA); the stimulus-responsive behaviors and mechanisms of the two systems, namely, NaDHA/PA and NaDHA/GA, were investigated using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and cryo-transmission electron microscopy (Cryo-TEM). The nearly unaltered viscosity of the systems confirmed the cyclic reversibility of the CO₂ response of the two systems when the two mixed solutions were converted back to aqueous liquids 10 times. The preparation and properties of DHA-based CO₂-responsive wormlike micelles are expected to advance fundamental research and establish the theoretical groundwork for their practical application in controllable thickening agents in food chemistry.