Development and characterization of quinoa protein-fucoidan emulsion gels with excellent rheological properties for 3D printing and curcumin encapsulation stability

Using of low-fat emulsion gels stabilized by quinoa protein (QP) for 3D food printing was limited by their defective rheological properties. The study was to explore the feasibility of using fucoidan (FU) to improve the printability and curcumin encapsulation stability of QP emulsion gel. The gels with 0.5–0.75 % FU incorporated were proved to be the most promising ink. Rheological analysis confirmed their great printing potential from the three-stages simulated 3D printing process. The incorporation of FU into emulsions induced more QP molecules adsorbed at the oil-water interface and smaller droplets size. When gel was induced by gluconate δ-lactone, these electrostatic interactions transformed into electrostatic attraction, resulting in a denser gel network. Adding FU to the gel improved its textural properties. Moreover, the gels with FU incorporated exerted better curcumin storage stability. This study provides a simple way to develop and improve the edible 3D printing inks for future food manufacturing.