Wheat glutenin-polysaccharide complexes as novel stabilizers for high-internal-phase emulsions: Application in 3D-printed dysphagia foods and rutin delivery

This study investigated how the interaction between wheat glutenin (WG) and either hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan (HACC) or carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) regulates the stabilization of HIPE. The potential of these HIPE was then evaluated as a base material for 3D-printed dysphagia foods and a vehicle for rutin delivery. The hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions between WG and HACC or CMC was verified using FTIR and intrinsic fluorescence, while molecular docking elucidated hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. These non-covalent interactions inhibit excessive aggregation, resulting in the formation of smaller complex particles. The interfacial layer thickness quadrupled compared to WG alone. The WG-CMC complexes (WC) were 62–142 nm thicker than the WG-HACC complexes (WH). This aligns with the wettability of WC, which had a three-phase contact angle of 91°. HIPE with an 80% internal oil phase was stabilized using WC and WH. The droplet sizes of the WC-stabilized HIPE (WCE) were 4–35 μm smaller than those of the WH-stabilized HIPE (WHE). All HIPE displayed elastic characteristics, showing higher G′ compared to G′′. The HIPE stabilized by WC at pH 7 (WCE7) exhibited the highest G′, G′′, and viscosity, consistent with its interconnected network microstructure. This structural configuration resulted in the superior stability and high-accuracy 3D printing of WCE7. All the product was classified as a level 4 dysphagia food under the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI). The HIPE encapsulated 96.7% of the rutin, providing a 32.2% increase in photostability and a bioaccessibility of over 62.7%.