Simulation of adipose tissue restructured by cyclodextrin-gellan gum based emulsion gel

Plant-based meats have emerged as a promising alternative to reduce consumption of traditional animal-based foods. However, it is still a challenge to substitute animal adipose tissue by plant-based ingredients nowadays. The existing emulsion gel systems are difficult to mimic the distinctive cookability of animal adipose tissue. In this study, thermally irreversible Pickering emulsion gels were fabricated as low fat adipose tissue simulation using β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and low acyl gellan gum (LA). The micromorphology, textural and rheological properties of emulsion gels were improved progressively by enhancement of LA concentrations. The emulsion gel with 0.45 % of LA exhibited similar textural and cooking properties with pig back adipose tissue, and significant strain recovery (final strain <0.05 %), resulted from the synergistic effect of β-CD interface layer and LA-induced network within the emulsion gels. LA increased the viscosity of continuous phase, further formed denser oil droplets in the simulations. The size of oil droplets influenced the adsorption capacity of β-CD and the intermolecular rearrangement of LA, modulated LA chain entanglement, which promoted the formation of a more compact and ordered gel network under suitable concentrations. This study could serve as a new research strategy to promote plant-based substitutes in the future.