Effect and mechanism of ultrasound time and storage time on physicochemical properties, 3D printing accuracy, and microstructure of ovalbumin–gellan gum emulsion gels

To improve the 3D printing quality of emulsion gels, this study prepared ovalbumin-gellan gum emulsion gel (OG-EG) by adding gellan gum to peanut oil-ovalbumin emulsion. The effects and mechanisms of ultrasound time and storage time on the physicochemical properties, 3D printing accuracy, microstructure, and protein structure of OG-EG were investigated. Ultrasound and storage treatment enhanced the viscoelasticity, hardness, and compactness of the network structure of OG-EG. At ultrasound time of 3.5 min and storage time of 4 min, the printed products of OG-EG exhibited uniform filaments and stable structures, and could accurately print fine patterns with a size of 3 mm with a printing accuracy of 91 %. Ultrasound and storage treatments resulted in the formation of a stable and robust network structure in OG-EG, with emulsified oil droplets filling the gel network. The synergistic interaction of these components led to the development of an emulsion gel with excellent printing performance.