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        <title>Frontiers in Soft Matter | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/soft-matter</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Frontiers in Soft Matter | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
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        <pubDate>2026-08-09T19:04:14.504+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1876336</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1876336</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Advances in Vitamin D encapsulation: from lipid formulations to polymeric nanoparticles]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-31T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Eleni Axioti</author><author>Iolanda Francolini</author><author>Vincenzo Taresco</author><author>Robert J. Cavanagh</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Vitamin D deficiency has emerged as a global public health concern, with implications spanning skeletal disorders, cardiovascular diseases, immune dysfunction, and cancer. Despite its biological importance, effective delivery of Vitamin D remains challenging due to its highly lipophilic nature, poor aqueous solubility, and susceptibility to degradation. These physicochemical limitations necessitate the development of advanced delivery systems capable of enhancing stability, bioavailability, and controlled release. In this review, we examine the current understanding of Vitamin D delivery with particular attention being given to colloidal systems such as emulsions, nanoemulsions, liposomes, and micelles, as well as polymeric nanoparticles and hybrid assemblies, which have shown significant promise for encapsulating lipophilic bioactives and improving their bioaccessibility. We discuss how key parameters, including interfacial composition, particle size, and structural organisation, govern the encapsulation efficiency and release behaviour of Vitamin D. Furthermore, we compare the delivery characteristics of the two principal forms, ergocalciferol (Vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3), within these systems, highlighting differences in stability and biological performance. Emerging approaches leveraging self-assembly, responsive polymers, and multifunctional carriers are also critically evaluated. Overall, this review provides a formulation perspective on Vitamin D delivery, identifying current challenges and outlining future directions for the rational design of next-generation delivery platforms.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1867312</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1867312</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Advanced oleogel and hydrogel systems: emerging platforms for food structuring and targeted nutrient delivery]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Rakhi Pandey</author><author>Garima Mathur</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Oleogels and hydrogels are emerging soft matter materials in the food science serving applications in replacing fats, improving nutrition and delivering bioactives. Such systems are developed by the molecular assembly of biopolymers with oils or water leads to the creation of a three-dimensional structure with semi-solid properties. Biopolymer based oleogels and hydrogels improve the bioavailability of lipophilic bioactive components and regulates lipid digestion by modulating crystallization and enzyme accessibility. Recent developments are focused on improving these systems through innovative structuring approaches. Double-network bigels enables the simultaneous delivery of bioactives in in hydrophilic and lipophilic environments, while emulsion gels support co-delivery of multiple solutes. Notably, the structuring of next-generation characterized by the integration of natural polymer self-assembly, cross-linking, crystallization and molecular template assembly within soft colloidal structures. This review summarizes recent developments in the formation and gastrointestinal digestion of food oleogels and hydrogels as well as challenges and applications of such approaches. Future perspectives cover sustainable structuring of the next-generation of nutritional foods.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1888400</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1888400</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Designing plant-based bigels for controlled nutrient delivery: structural and digestive perspectives]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-29T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Prakyath Shetty</author><author>P. Paulin Patricia</author><author>R. Sushmithasri</author><author>Ashish Rawson</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Emerging soft-matter food materials, including plant-based bigels, have evolved as versatile platforms for addressing persistent challenges in modern food science, such as replacing saturated and trans-fats and ensuring the protected delivery of poorly bioavailable bioactive compounds. This review critically examines recent advancements in the structural design principles, characterization methods, digestive behavior, and delivery applications of plant-based bigels. The biphasic gelled architecture offers advantages unattainable in single-phase systems, as hydrophilic and lipophilic bioactives can be carried in their respective compatible phases and co-delivered with independently controllable release kinetics, while both gelled networks act as physical barriers against oxidation and premature release. The bigel architecture functions as a release-mechanism regulator rather than merely a structural attribute, with oleogel-in-hydrogel, hydrogel-in-oleogel, and bicontinuous morphologies each favoring distinct gastric protection and intestinal release profiles. Along with other key structural parameters, such as the hydrogel-to-oleogel ratio, oleogel network density, and interfacial design, operate through specific mechanisms during gastrointestinal transit. These parameters modulate the accessibility of lipase and bile salts to the lipid phase, the rate of lipolysis, and the swelling and erosion of the hydrogel network, thereby determining the timing and location of the release of encapsulated bioactives in the gastrointestinal tract. Denser oleogel networks and stabilized interfaces consistently slow lipolysis and shift release toward the intestinal phase, while phase architecture dictates whether the hydrophilic or lipophilic payload is protected, allowing bioaccessibility to be designed rather than being fixed. Interfacial engineering using Pickering particles, amphiphilic gelators, or polysaccharide-layer modification isolates the release rate from bulk gelator selection, providing an independent design dimension. Across reported applications, these design choices translate into improved encapsulation efficiencies, reduced gastric pre-release, and antioxidant synergism among co-encapsulated bioactives. By integrating this structure-digestion perspective with cross-study comparisons within the plant-based literature, this review elucidates the design principles that connect formulation to digestive performance and exposes the main constraints on translation, which include the absence of unified quantitative frameworks for predicting release from compositional inputs and over-reliance on static in vitro digestion models without in vivo validation. Addressing these issues could systematically position plant-based bigels for commercial deployment in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceutical applications within the next decade.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1899570</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1899570</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Valorisation of floral industry by-products as sources of bioactive compounds for functionalized biopolymer-based packaging: a mini review]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>Marika Avitabile</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The floral industry generates large volumes of underexploited biomass including petals, sepals, stems and distillation residues that remain after essential oil extraction. These materials are rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, carotenoids, terpenoids and aromatic compounds with strong antioxidant, antimicrobial and UV-protective properties. Their valorisation through green extraction technologies offers a sustainable route to obtain high-value bioactive compounds suitable for incorporation into biopolymer-based packaging. The integration of floral extracts into matrices such as chitosan, pectin, alginate, starch, and cellulose derivatives enables the development of active packaging systems capable of extending food shelf life while reducing reliance on synthetic additives and fossil-based plastics. This mini review provides a comprehensive overview of the chemical potential of floral by-products, the most relevant extraction strategies and the mechanisms through which these compounds enhance the performance of biopolymer films. Attention is given to nanostructuring approaches, including nanoemulsions, pickering emulsions, and nanofiller-reinforced systems, which improve stability, controlled release and functional efficacy. Current challenges and future perspectives for the integration of floral waste valorisation into circular bioeconomy frameworks are discussed.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1878644</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1878644</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Programming selectivity in molecularly imprinted polymers]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-15T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Hossein Omidian</author><author>Sumana Dey Chowdhury</author><author>Arnavaz Akhzarmehr</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Selective recognition in complex media remains a central challenge in environmental monitoring, food safety, biomedical analysis, industrial purification, and resource recovery. Programmable imprinted soft materials offer a compelling strategy by encoding target-specific recognition into polymeric, hybrid, magnetic, porous, responsive, and device-compatible architectures. This review examines how molecularly imprinted polymers, ion-imprinted polymers, and related soft-material platforms translate template-directed recognition into practical selective functions, including adsorption, extraction, enrichment, cleanup, preconcentration, separation, remediation, controlled release, recovery, and sensing. Across the surveyed literature, the most convincing demonstrations of programmability arise when target identity, matrix complexity, and intended function are jointly considered during material design. Chemical preorganization, ligand coordination, surface-accessible architectures, magnetic retrieval, dummy-template substitution, biopolymer compatibility, responsive behavior, computational design, and sensor integration collectively expand imprinting beyond passive sorption. Performance evidence shows that these materials can achieve trace-level enrichment, competitive selectivity, reusable operation, and real-sample applicability in chemically demanding settings. However, stronger benchmarking, standardized validation, environmental safety assessment, and scalable manufacturing strategies are needed to avoid overclaiming imprinting as universally superior. Overall, programmable imprinted soft materials represent a maturing class of synthetic recognition systems whose future impact will depend on the integration of molecular-level design with realistic deployment criteria.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1887216</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1887216</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Multiscale structural effects of ultrasound and pulsed electric field processing on structure–property relationships in tomato systems: a mini-review]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-08T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>Daniela Lorena Lamas</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Tomato is a structurally complex plant-based matrix whose functional properties are governed by a hierarchical organisation that extends from the molecular to the macroscopic scale. Non-thermal technologies such as ultrasound (US) and pulsed electric fields (PEF) have emerged as sustainable strategies to modulate food structure while preserving or enhancing functionality. This mini-review examines recent advances in US- and PEF-assisted processing of tomato systems through a unified multiscale framework. Although both technologies improve extraction efficiency and process sustainability, they operate through fundamentally different mechanisms. US primarily induces mechanical disruption of cell walls, middle lamella structures, and tissue architecture through acoustic cavitation, whereas PEF predominantly targets cellular membranes through electroporation, increasing permeability while largely preserving the structural integrity of the cell wall network. These structural modifications propagate from the molecular and cellular scales to the macroscopic level, ultimately influencing texture, mass transfer, and bioactive recovery. Furthermore, emerging evidence suggests that ultrasound can trigger physiological and stress-related responses in living tomato tissues, expanding its applications beyond conventional processing. Finally, future progress in optimising sustainable tomato systems will depend on predictive multiscale models that can integrate these structural, biochemical, and physiological responses.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1883618</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1883618</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Artificial intelligence and machine learning-guided bio-orthogonal engineering of smart soft polymeric nanocarriers for precision drug delivery and translational nanomedicine]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-03T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>Suman Basak</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Soft polymeric nanocarriers provide programmable platforms for precision drug delivery, yet their rational design remains constrained by complex relationships among polymer chemistry, soft-matter properties, formulation, and biological performance. Bioorthogonal chemistry offers a modular route to functionalize these systems under physiologically compatible conditions, enabling selective ligand installation, responsive crosslinking, and therapeutic activation. Artificial intelligence and machine learning can complement these capabilities by predicting polymer behavior, optimizing reaction and formulation parameters, and linking physicochemical descriptors with biological outcomes. This Mini Review discusses the convergence of AI/ML and bioorthogonal chemistry for engineering smart soft polymeric nanocarriers, highlights opportunities in closed-loop discovery and personalized nanomedicine, and examines translational barriers involving datasets, interpretability, reproducibility, manufacturability, and regulation.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1868356</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1868356</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Impact of high-temperature sterilization on the physicochemical and functional properties of chicken gels enriched with red algae (Palmaria palmata)]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Langye Jiang</author><author>Qinyi Lei</author><author>Zitong Chen</author><author>Xinlan Jiang</author><author>Shaozong Wu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionRed algae may serve as a partial and sustainable substitute in hybrid meat products. However, intensive heating applied to extend shelf life can readily induce deterioration of the gel structure, leading to reduced textural quality and moisture retention.MethodsChicken gels containing 0%–10.0% (w/w) Palmaria palmata (PP) were prepared, heat-induced at 80 °C for 30 min, and then subjected to high-temperature sterilization (95 °C, 30 min). The physicochemical and functional properties of the gels were then evaluated.ResultsAfter initial gelation, PP-containing gels exhibited higher gel strength. After high-temperature sterilization, the control group showed significant reductions in hardness (from 62.3 ± 4.3 N to 57.0 ± 1.5 N) and moisture content (from 67.22 ± 0.45% to 65.37 ± 0.77%). In contrast, gels with 2.5%–5.0% PP maintained or improved hardness, chewiness, and water-holding capacity. Low-Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance analysis indicated that PP promoted redistribution of free water toward bound and immobilized fractions, and microstructural observations revealed a more continuous and compact network. Conversely, PP levels 7.5% led to aggregation, structural heterogeneity, and texture deterioration after reheating. PP also significantly enhanced the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging capacities. Notably, the gel with 5.0% PP (CB-5.0) showed a marked increase in antioxidant capacity after sterilization, with DPPH values rising from 16.86 ± 0.28 to 22.48 ± 0.73 and ABTS values from 37.78 ± 0.09 to 42.63 ± 0.23.DiscussionModerate PP addition (2.5%–5.0%) acts as an active filler that stabilizes the chicken gel network against high-temperature sterilization, improving texture, water retention, and antioxidant activity, whereas excessive PP compromises structural uniformity.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1781355</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1781355</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Destabilizing foams of reconstituted acid whey powder at an elevated temperature using calcium-chelating salts]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-15T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Nanik Purwanti</author><author>Shane Mulcahy</author><author>Eoin G. Murphy</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study aimed to investigate the effects of calcium-chelating salts (CCS) namely trisodium citrate (TSC) and sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) on foamability and foam stability of acid whey powder (AWP) suspensions at 60 °C, which simulated the processing temperature of AWP in industry. Effects of salt concentrations, pH and suspended materials were observed. Foam capacity did not significantly change when pH was shifted from 6.8 to 4.6, when TSC or SHMP was added, or when centrifugation was applied to remove the suspended materials. In contrast, foam stability was substantially affected by these factors. Lowering pH and addition of CCS reduced foam stability, despite increasing protein solubility, in the case of CCS addition. This indicated protein aggregates or particulate structures in AWP suspensions play a dominant role in interfacial stabilization of the foams, which may be analogous to Pickering-like mechanisms. This was consistent with foam destabilization after complete removal of suspended materials. SHMP showed greater effectiveness in disrupting calcium-mediated aggregates than TSC, resulting in increased protein solubility. However, as illustrated by the Pickering-like behaviour mentioned above, increased protein solubility is not the only determining factor for improving foam stability in complex dairy systems. Nevertheless, SHMP offers a promising strategy to control excessive foaming during acid whey processing.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1848142</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1848142</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Effect of ultrasound-assisted emulsification on cinnamon essential oil dispersion: a strategy to improve biopolymer-based active films for sustainable food packaging]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Tamires Sousa de Oliveira</author><author>Luiz Carlos Corrêa-Filho</author><author>Júlya Cruz Navarro</author><author>André Mesquita Magalhães Costa</author><author>Carlos Wanderlei Piler de Carvalho</author><author>Lourdes Maria Corrêa Cabral</author><author>Otniel Freitas-Silva</author><author>Renata Valeriano Tonon</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study investigated how the emulsification method of cinnamon essential oil (CEO) influences its dispersion characteristics and, consequently, the physicochemical and biological properties of active films based on sodium alginate and carboxymethylcellulose. Two systems were evaluated: a pre-emulsion obtained by Ultra-Turrax and an ultrasound-assisted emulsion produced by combining Ultra-Turrax and sonication. Although both dispersions presented droplet sizes within the nanometric range, the ultrasound-treated system exhibited significantly lower polydispersity index (0.2 ± 0.0) and smaller droplet size (40.2 ± 3.66 nm) compared to the pre-emulsion (67.9 ± 4.2 nm and 0.9 ± 0.0, respectively), indicating improved dispersion uniformity. This enhanced homogeneity resulted in films with a more compact and uniform microstructure, as well as improved thermal stability (endothermic peak at 175.2 °C ± 4.7 °C). In addition, films containing the ultrasound-assisted emulsion exhibited greater flexibility and extensibility, with higher elongation at break (4.88% ± 0.48%) and lower tensile strength (30.64 ± 0.77 MPa), suggesting a more effective plasticizing effect. CEO incorporation also provided UV-blocking capacity and reduced WVP regardless of the emulsification method. Both active films inhibited the growth of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in the contact area, with no significant differences between systems. These results indicate that, under the evaluated conditions, dispersion uniformity, rather than nominal droplet size classification, plays a key role in governing film structure and performance, highlighting the relevance of ultrasound-assisted emulsification for improving functional properties of active biopolymer films.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1788714</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1788714</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Stability and bubble size of BSA foams by hydrocolloids with different physical properties]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Judith Krom</author><author>Thomas A. Vilgis</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Hydrocolloids are widely employed to enhance the stability of protein-based foams, yet a systematic understanding of how their molecular properties govern foam behavior remains limited. In this study, we investigate the influence of three polysaccharides—guar gum, xanthan gum, and iota-carrageenan—on foams stabilized by bovine serum albumin (BSA). These hydrocolloids were deliberately selected for their distinct polarity, charge, and chain flexibility, enabling a controlled comparison of how specific polymer attributes affect the interfacial and bulk properties of foams. The results demonstrate that these molecular features produce reproducible and quantifiable changes in foam microstructure and stability, revealing clear structure–function relationships. This work provides a mechanistic insight into hydrocolloid–protein coupling at complex protein coated interfaces and establishes a systematic framework for the rational selection and design of polymer additives for foam stabilization in soft matter systems.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1804920</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1804920</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Aqueous foams made from solutions of pea peptides and soybean by-products: mixture and process effects]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-08T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Noémie Ourvois-Maloisel</author><author>Claire Surel</author><author>Véronique Vié</author><author>Ludovic Paquin</author><author>Fabienne Gauffre</author><author>Arnaud Saint-Jalmes</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Aqueous foams require stabilizers to be generated and to prevent their rapid destruction. Beside synthetic surfactants or polyelectrolytes, natural stabilizers can be used to produce and stabilize foams. Up to now, these are mostly of animal origins. Here, we present some new results obtained with two plant-based compounds. The first one is a powder of pea peptides. The second is a filtration permeate obtained during the industrial treatment of soybean. Together with studies of their composition, we have investigated the foamability of these solutions at different concentrations. We have used three different generation techniques to tune the foam parameters, and then studied the stability and aging of the obtained foams. These results are then compared to the ones of egg white and standard surfactant solutions. In parallel, we have performed complementary experiments at the scale of a single solution-air interface. Two different opposite behaviors are evidenced, in terms of foamability and stability, with a strong impact of the foaming process. Finally, we studied mixtures of these compounds, showing that the macroscopic features can be smoothly tuned by mixing these plant-based products, allowing us to better identify the balance between the role of the chemical composition, the concentration and the process of gas incorporation.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1827305</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1827305</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Active biopolymer films from oil-in-water pickering emulsions for food preservation: a mini review]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>Rodrigo F. Gouvêa</author><author>Cristina T. Andrade</author>
        <description><![CDATA[In response to societal demands, the food industry constantly seeks innovations for its products. Active food packaging, developed from biopolymers incorporated with Pickering emulsions, is certainly one of these innovations. New technologies are important for reducing losses and waste, maintaining quality, and increasing the availability of food for the growing world population. Packaging helps maintain moisture, prevent oxidation, and avoid food contamination by microorganisms or other impurities during transport and storage. Packaging produced with biodegradable polymers can contribute to environmental conservation and food preservation. The introduction of nanotechnology and the concept of active packaging into food science have expanded the functionality of materials. Added to biopolymer films, nanoparticles act as reinforcement and gas barriers. Bioactive substances, found in essential oils and plant extracts, impart antimicrobial and antioxidant properties to the films. In this field of food science, which encompasses many topics, this short review focused on presenting and discussing (i) the importance of adopting biopolymers as matrices for food packaging, (ii) the role of hydrophobic essential oils and extracts, rich in bioactive substances, when incorporated into biopolymer dispersions, and (iii) the formation and stabilization of active oil-in-water emulsions by the Pickering mechanism. Finally, (iv) the application of some emulsion films for the preservation of specific types of food is also reviewed.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1815170</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1815170</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Hierarchical design of hybrid carriers to control nutrient fate]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>Kefan Ouyang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[For decades, nutrient delivery system design has been constrained by a fundamental trade-off: Enhancing stability is often associated with reduced bioavailability, and vice versa. This review presents a hierarchical, multi-scale design strategy for hybrid materials. At the molecular level, thermodynamic control of binding interactions, such as through precise chelation chemistry, maintains bioactive compounds in a soluble yet protected state. Moving to the microscale, engineering of porosity, tortuosity, and interfacial properties creates intelligent, stimuli-responsive barriers that remain inert until encountering their target physiological environment. The macroscopic architecture, in turn, is tailored for mechanical resilience against digestive forces while promoting desirable interactions with mucosal surfaces. The field is now leveraging computational screening and machine learning to navigate vast material spaces, accelerating the discovery of novel constructs with optimized biological interfaces. The future points toward truly “smart” systems capable of targeted release, where the carrier itself may contribute synergistic health benefits beyond mere protection. This evolution from empirical formulation to the rational design of matter across scales effectively renders the old stability-bioavailability compromise obsolete.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1750630</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1750630</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Foam cleaning in closed circuits: effect of surfactant type on foam structure and Bacillus subtilis spore removal from stainless steel surfaces]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ahmad Al Saabi</author><author>Heni Dallagi</author><author>Piyush Kumar Jha</author><author>Fethi Aloui</author><author>Thierry Benezech</author><author>Christine Faille</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Foam cleaning represents an environmentally and economically attractive alternative to conventional cleaning-in-place (CIP) processes for removing microbial contamination in food and bioprocessing industries. This study systematically compared three surfactants, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Ammonyx® LO, and Capstone® FS-30, to understand how surfactant type influences foam structure and cleaning performance. Stainless steel coupons contaminated with Bacillus subtilis 98/7 spores were cleaned under identical flow conditions using foam generated at a nominal air fraction of 0.5 and a mean velocity of 1.8 cm s-1. SDS achieved the highest spore removal (1.9 log10 reduction after 20 min), with superior kinetic detachment (K1 = 114.75 s-1; f = 98.2%), while Ammonyx® LO (0.83 log10) and Capstone® FS-30 (0.55 log10) performed significantly worse. These differences were attributed to foam structural properties: SDS produced fine, stable bubbles persisting for 24 h, while Ammonyx® LO and Capstone® FS-30 collapsed after 8 and 3 h, respectively. Image analysis revealed local air fractions of 0.88 (SDS), 0.79 (Ammonyx), and 0.96 (Capstone) in the test section, confirming dry foam behavior. Theoretical analysis using Bretherton’s model and microscopic observations showed that SDS’s low capillary number promotes strong Marangoni stabilization and thin lamellae, generating sustained wall shear stress fluctuations essential for spore detachment. This study demonstrates that foam cleaning efficiency is primarily determined by surfactant-controlled variations in bubble size, foam stability, and interfacial properties. SDS provides the optimal balance for achieving efficient and sustainable foam-based cleaning.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1772355</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1772355</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Edible gas marbles stabilized with cocoa particles: understanding their behavior by tuning the edible liquid phase]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-09T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Takuto Yagishita</author><author>Anne-Laure Fameau</author><author>Syuji Fujii</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionGas marbles have recently emerged as a new class of particle-stabilized gas–liquid systems. A gas marble consists of a single air bubble suspended in air and encapsulated by a thin liquid shell stabilized by solid particles, forming an air-in-liquid-in-air structure. Gas marbles can be generated using various edible particles, but their formation has so far been demonstrated almost exclusively in water, where only particles with intermediate wettability (moderately hydrophilic contact angles) lead to stable structures. Because liquid surface tension strongly influences the three-phase contact angle, expanding gas-marble formation beyond water requires understanding how the liquid phase governs gas marbles formation and stability.MethodsIn this work, we investigate the formation of gas marbles using cocoa particles and a wide range of edible liquids differing in surface tension and composition. We also systematically varied a model liquid phase from water/ethanol mixtures. Unlike previous studies that focused primarily on particle wettability in water-based systems, this work explicitly isolates and elucidates the role of the liquid phase in governing gas-marble formation.Results and discussionWe demonstrate that the three-phase contact angle can be tuned through liquid surface tension, enabling or inhibiting gas-marble formation. We show, for the first time, that stable cocoa-based gas marbles can be produced in a broad set of edible liquids, provided that the liquid surface tension remains sufficiently high (above 34 mN/m). These gas marbles exhibit notable robustness, including heat resistance and long-term stability. Overall, this study establishes clear criteria linking liquid surface tension, particle wettability, and gas-marble formation. These findings provide new physical insight into particle-stabilized gas–liquid interfaces beyond water systems and offer general formulation guidelines applicable across a wide range of edible and non-aqueous liquids.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1757443</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2026.1757443</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Sulfidic crosslinks in EPM: a strategy for advanced flexible EPM composites]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-13T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Arshad Rahman Parathodika</author><author>Kinsuk Naskar</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Ethylene–propylene rubber (EPM) is a fully saturated elastomer, which prevents its crosslinking by conventional accelerated sulfur curing that requires unsaturation. In this study, a hybrid curing approach is introduced to generate sulfidic crosslinks in EPM. The method combines organic peroxide curing with sulfur-based vulcanization. Peroxide generates radicals on the EPM backbone and forms macro radicals, which can be captured by sulfur species, forming sulfur macroradicals that couple either with each other or with other EPM macro radicals to create alkyl-alkyl sulfidic crosslinks in EPM. Alongside these, the system also contains conventional alkyl–alkyl carbon crosslinks generated by peroxide. While carbon–carbon crosslinks impart excellent thermal stability and compression set resistance in EPM, they often limit flexibility and tear strength. The incorporation of sulfidic crosslinks alongside peroxide-derived linkages enhances flexibility and stress strain performance without sacrificing high temperature capability. This hybrid curing route thus provides a promising strategy for developing advanced flexible EPM composites for applications demanding contradictory property requirements and higher thermal ratings than EPDM.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2025.1681598</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2025.1681598</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Skin wound healing part II: from traditional cataplasm to advanced wound dressings]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Amanda Guadalupe Romero</author><author>Andrea Paola Rodriguez</author><author>Silvia Noemi Kozuszko</author><author>Kenichi Nagano</author><author>Carmelo José Felice</author><author>Naoki Katase</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The first part of this review summarizes fundamental wound-healing biology and advances a novel, integrative roadmap for developing next-generation wound technologies that weave together ancestral knowledges and modern biomaterials science, analyzing recent evidence and translational opportunities in that direction. It also examines clinical trials, patents, regulatory issues, and epistemological challenges around medicinal plants. (DOI). This second part delves into historical poultices and the plants used to make them, summarizing reported medicinal effects, key phytochemicals, and mechanisms for topical wound and inflammation modulation. It follows the translation of these materia medica into modern technologies identifying translational routes and technical gaps. In addition, the review examines the validation of medicinal products integrated into modern technological platforms, encompassing in vitro assays, in vivo experiments, and clinical trials. The paper argues that ancestral health paradigms, rooted in ecological knowledge and community practice, can complement biomedical frameworks across research, product design, and clinical use. It prioritizes respectful, participatory approaches that conserve biodiversity and protect the intellectual and cultural rights of source communities while centering patient autonomy and psychosocial support. Finally, it calls out critical evidence gaps and proposes methodological, ethical, and regulatory standards for rigorous ethnopharmacological validation and responsible integration of traditional poultice knowledge into contemporary wound-care innovation.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2025.1741918</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2025.1741918</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Use of solid fat-tailored oleogels loaded with α-tocopherol as fat replacers to improve the nutritional profile of cookies]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Vanessa Oliveira Di Sarli Peixoto</author><author>Gabriela Baptista Brito</author><author>Carlos Adam Conte-Junior</author><author>Thiago Oliveira Marinho</author><author>Márcio Nele</author><author>Alexandre Guedes Torres</author><author>Vanessa Naciuk Castelo-Branco</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionOleogels containing low candelilla wax (CLW) content (<2.5%) loaded with α-tocopherol mimic the rheological properties of butter, margarine, and partially hydrogenated fat. However, their use in food to enhance vitamin E intake remains unexplored. This study investigated CLW-based oleogels loaded with α-tocopherol, developed previously to replicate the rheological properties of butter (Obtr), margarine (Omgn), and partially hydrogenated fat (Ohgf), as full replacements for these fats in cookies.MethodsDoughs and cookies containing Obtr, Omgn, or Ohgf were assessed for instrumental color, rheological, textural, and baking properties. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to investigate the clustering and similarities between oleogel-based samples and their respective reference solid fats.ResultsDoughs with oleogels exhibited a darker surface and a weaker structure compared to those with solid fats. Cookies with oleogels were darker, softer, and less crispy than those made with solid fats. Cookies with OMGN exhibited a spread factor comparable to that of margarine, although other dimensional and textural parameters differed. PCA revealed no distinct clustering between the doughs containing oleogels and those with their respective solid fats (PC1 = 56.1%; PC2 = 28.9%). However, cookies containing oleogels clustered closely with those with partially hydrogenated fat (PC1 = 58.1%; PC2 = 38.8%), suggesting that reproducing the functional response of partially hydrogenated fat is more feasible than that of butter or margarine.ResultsTherefore, oleogels with low CLW content loaded with α-tocopherol present a promising alternative for replacing hydrogenated fats in cookies formulations.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2025.1708264</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsfm.2025.1708264</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The influence of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) on the lipid sponge phase system]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Marshall R. Machingauta</author><author>Aina McEvoy</author><author>Alma Karlsson</author><author>Justas Barauskas</author><author>Tommy Nylander</author><author>Jennifer Gilbert</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The use of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) in pharmaceutical and food applications has gained momentum due to their capacity to encapsulate a wide range of biomolecules. Previous studies have demonstrated the effective entrapment of enzymes within lipid sponge nanoparticles, highlighting their potential as versatile delivery vehicles. Similar to inverse bicontinuous cubic phases, the sponge phase features a network of aqueous cavities separated by curved lipid bilayers, but with a more flexible structure and larger water cavities. The objective of this study is to determine how the lipid composition affects the sponge phase properties. Based on food-grade lipid mixtures of the glycerol monooleate-rich lipid mixture (GMO-50), diglycerol monooleate (DGMO), polysorbate 80 (P80), and water, which are known to form sponge phases, we have studied the incorporation of the zwitterionic phospholipid 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC). This is of particular interest due to its potential to increase the biocompatibility of the formulation. Using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryoTEM), we show that DOPC generally promotes the formation of lamellar phases at 25 °C, but sponge phases can be preserved by adjusting GMO-50/DOPC ratios, adding P80, or increasing the temperature to 40 °C. Dispersions in excess water yielded mixtures of sponge nanoparticles and vesicles, while diluting the LNPs in buffers with higher ionic strength (PBS and cell medium) induced multilamellar vesicle formation. These results demonstrate that DOPC provides a tunable handle on lipid nanostructures, enabling temperature and medium-responsive systems, and that the surrounding medium can restructure nanoparticles even after formation. This underscores the importance of considering both the conditions of nanoparticle assembly and their response to new environments, with direct implications for biopharmaceutical performance.]]></description>
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