Plant-Based Bigels for Functional Delivery: Advances in Structural Design and Stabilization Strategies

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Materials Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Growing demand for clean-label, plant-based, and functional food systems.
• Bigels, biphasic systems of hydrogels and oleogels, are emerging as key delivery platforms.
• Plant-based bigels utilize edible biopolymers and vegetable oils for sustainable applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in the structural design and stabilization of plant-based bigels.
• To emphasize the regulation of phase behavior and interfacial interactions in bigel systems.
• To highlight applications and challenges in functional compound delivery using bigels.

Main Methods:

• Exploration of advanced strategies: stimuli-responsive gelation, Pickering interfaces, semi-interpenetrating networks.
• Analysis of structural construction and its impact on delivery performance.
• Review of strategies for stability enhancement and bioavailability improvement.

Main Results:

• Plant-based bigels demonstrate potential for delivering various functional ingredients like polyphenols, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and probiotics.
• Advanced strategies improve bigel stability and enable targeted gastrointestinal release.
• Structural design is crucial for optimizing delivery performance.

Conclusions:

• Plant-based bigels are a promising, sustainable delivery platform for functional ingredients across multiple industries.
• Further research is needed to address challenges in stability, bioavailability, and industrial scalability.
• Optimizing structural design and stabilization techniques will unlock the full potential of bigels.