FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
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2021
·
IF 9.147
Yan Zou,Yi Qian,Xiaoyun Rong,Kaixin Cao,David Julian McClements,Kun Hu
Composite nanoparticles were fabricated by forming a caseinate/kappa-carrageenan coating around zein nanoparticles. Quercetin-loaded composite nanoparticles ( d < 150 nm) were successfully prepared at a particle yield of 95.2%, nutraceutical loading capacity of 5.6%, and nutraceutical loading efficiency of 75.7%. The quercetin was present in an amorphous state inside the composite nanoparticles as determined using X-ray diffraction. The quercetin-loaded nanoparticle dispersion was resistant to aggregation when subjected to pH changes (pH 2.0 to 8.0), heating (90 °C for 120 min), CaCl 2 addition (10 mM), and NaCl addition (2.0 M). The quercetin was mainly released from the composite nanoparticles in the intestinal stage of a simulated human gut. Quercetin bioaccessibility was enhanced after being encapsulated within the composite nanoparticles, which resulted in higher in vitro antioxidant activities ( p < 0.05) and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) ( p < 0.01). Overall, the results of this study indicate that composite nanoparticles are effective at encapsulating, retaining, and delivering quercetin, and might therefore be utilized in dietary supplements, functional foods, and pharmaceutical products.
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高影响因子
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
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2021
·
IF 6.165
Fangyuan Jiang,Lianlian Yang,Songyan Wang,Xiaoguo Ying,Junhong Ling,Xiao–kun Ouyang
In this study, zein was stabilized using alginate oligosaccharides (AOS) for the delivery of curcumin (Cur) through antisolvent precipitation. Zein-AOS 2:1 nanoparticles were uniform and stable (size 116.5 nm, polydispersity index (PDI) 0.16, charge −30 mV). The complex nanoparticle system was relatively stable under different conditions, including pH 4–9 and temperature 30–90 °C. In addition, the encapsulation efficiency of the Cur/zein-AOS 2:1 complex nanoparticles was 89.7%. Zein was protected during gastrointestinal digestion. Only 32.9% Cur was released in the stomach after 90 min and 83.8% was released in the intestinal tract after 240 min proving that zein-AOS complex nanoparticles showed a good sustained-release effect. Thus, the zein-AOS complex nanoparticle system is suitable for delivering encapsulated lipophilic bioactive compounds.
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FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
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2020
·
IF 7.053
Xiepeng Mo,Xinling Peng,Xianrui Liang,Sheng Fang,Hujun Xie,Jie Chen,Yuecheng Meng
In this study, natamycin-loaded zein/casein composite nanoparticles (Nata-Z/C NPs) were fabricated and incorporated into gelatin film to improve the film's physicochemical and antifungal properties. The mean particle diameter (MPD) and zeta potential (ZP) values of the Nata-Z/C NPs were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) with 68.5 ± 1.2 nm and −33.1 ± 0.8 mV, respectively. The Nata-Z/C NPs were well dispersed in the gelatin film and improved its mechanical properties, including the tensile strength (from 30.5 ± 3.2 MPa to 51.4 ± 3.0 MPa) and percentage elongation at break (from 0.225 ± 0.087 to 0.685 ± 0.103). The NPs as hydrophobic filler also improved the water barrier properties to 0.335 × 10 −9 g ˑ m/m 2 ˑ Pa ˑ s and water contact angle to 122.55 ± 1.54° of the gelatin film. The possible interactions between the Nata-Z/C NPs and gelatin were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The sustained release of natamycin from the film was achieved by its encapsulation, and the release kinetics were assessed with the Avrami model. Furthermore, the nanocomposite films exhibited strong antifungal activities against Aspergillus niger , Botrytis cinerea , and Penicillium citrinum . This study revealed that the Nata-Z/C NPs could be used as both nanofillers and functional additives to improve the physicochemical and bacteriostatic properties of gelatin films.
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CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
·
2020
·
IF 10.652
Xi Yu,Chuanming Li,Huafeng Tian,Li Yuan,Aimin Xiang,Jinlong Li,Chaoyang Wang,A. Varada Rajulu
Though zein is gaining more and more attention because of its multifunctionality and biodegradability, the high sensitivity to humidity limits its further applications. In the present study, the multifunctional zein nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning with the assistance of polyvinyl alcohol, followed by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. In this way, the moisture resistance of the nanofibers was significantly improved while the air filtration performance was well retained. The optimized nanofibers exhibited over 97% filtration efficiency of PM 0.3 (particulate matter size less than 0.3 μm), and the filtration efficiency of other sizes of pollutant particles was more than 98%. In addition, the relatively weak mechanical properties of zein have also been improved. These results suggest that cross-linked zein-based nanofibers are promising for air filtration applications.
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高影响因子
MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING
·
2020
·Vol. 305
·期 8
·2000239
·
IF 3.853
Ke Li,Chuanming Li,Huafeng Tian,Li Yuan,Aimin Xiang,Chaoyang Wang,Jinlong Li,A. Varada Rajulu
Nanofibers prepared by electrospinning technology possess large specific surface area and adjustable fiber diameter. Zein is a hydrophobic plant protein that can interact with pollutants in the air. In this work, using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the auxiliary spinning polymer, zein based nanofiber materials are prepared for air filtration by varying zein/PVA ratio as well as the alcoholysis degree. With the increase of zein content, the diameter of nanofibers decreases gradually, and the nanofibers prepared by PVA with low alcoholysis degree exhibit better micromorphology. The zein based nanofibers prepared after denaturation of zein protein can interact with different types of pollutants. In addition, for the nanofibers prepared by PVA with different alcoholysis degree, the filtration efficiency increases with the increase of zein content when absorbing air pollution particles with different particle sizes and the alcoholysis degree affects the air filtration efficiency. Thus, through controlling zein content and alcoholysis degree, the filtration efficiency of nanofibers is promoted availably. These results indicate that the natural nanofilter prepared with zein and PVA can be used a multifunctional and efficient material for air filtration.
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JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
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2016
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IF 2.857
Hualin Wang,Lilan Hao,Baicheng Niu,Suwei Jiang,Junfeng Cheng,Shaotong Jiang
The proanthocyanidins encapsulated in zein (zein-PA) fibers was via electrospinning technique. The kinetics and antioxidant capacity of PA from zein fibers was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Circular dichroism was used to investigate the secondary structure change of zein and its influence on the shape of fibers. The addition of PA caused a significant increase in viscosity and made fibers wider. These hydrogen bonds between zein and PA molecules would favor the α-helix change and decrease the β-folds of zein in electrospinning solutions, leading to a round-shaped tendency of fibers and enhancing the thermal properties slightly. Zein-PA fibers showed high encapsulation efficiency close to 100%, and the encapsulated PA retained its antioxidant capacity in fibers. Zein-PA fibers showed a good controlled release toward PA, and the predominant release of PA from fibers was Fickian diffusion, which could be well described by first-order model and Hixson–Crowell model.
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PubMed
高影响因子
FOOD CHEMISTRY
·
2025
·
IF 9.8
Hao Xu,Lida Wu,David Julian Mclements,Chong Chen,Weibo Zhang,Jiayue Guo,Siyuan Liu,Jiaqi Su,Pengjie Wang,Fazheng Ren,Yao Hu
Developing stable Pickering emulsions with minimal nanoparticles is challenging, as high loadings reduce efficiency, increase cost, and limit scalability. This study investigated thermally responsive corn starch (CS) networks for enhancing zein/xanthan gum (Z/XG) nanoparticle-stabilized emulsions. Incorporating CS markedly improved stability, preventing phase separation after heating at 65 and 100 °C and during storage. Creep-recovery tests showed emulsions with 0.6–0.8 % CS had low maximum strain ( γ T < 0.01) and high structural recovery, indicating strong resistance to deformation. The stabilizing mechanism was concentration-dependent: low level of CS (0.1 %) formed interfacial hydrogen-bonded films with Z/XG to prevent coalescence; intermediate levels (0.2–0.6 %) generated crosslinked, entangled starch networks in the continuous phase to reinforce stability; high CS (>0.6 %) hindered emulsification, yielding larger, polydisperse droplets. These results demonstrate that starch can substantially enhance emulsion stability by combining interfacial adsorption and bulk-phase reinforcement, offering a practical strategy for heat-stable emulsified foods with reduced nanoparticle content.
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PubMed
高影响因子
FOOD CHEMISTRY
·
2025
·
IF 9.8
Jinying Zhu,Jiannan Yan,Mingzhu Zheng,Xiuying Xu,Hao Zhang,Yuzhu Wu,Chengbin Zhao,Jingsheng Liu
Proteins in corn mainly consist of zein and glutelin, existing in the form of complexes. Corn post-harvest ripening has a significant impact on the zein-glutelin interaction, which affects the structure and properties of protein complex. The changes in interaction, structure and physicochemical properties of zein-glutelin complex during corn post-ripening were investigated. The structural stability of the zein-glutelin complex was mainly maintained by hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonds, and disulfide bonds. After post-ripening at 15 °C for 45 days and 25 °C for 30 days, the complex protein subunits degraded, the α-helix transformed into β-sheet, and the hydrophobic interactions and disulfide bonds increased. Furthermore, both more ordered β-structure at 15 °C and higher disulfide bond at 25 °C formed protein rigid aggregates with a uniform and orderly distribution, which suggested a stronger zein-glutelin interaction, resulting in lower solubility and higher water- and oil-holding capacity of the protein complex.
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高影响因子
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
·
2025
·
IF 7.7
Qing Shen,Cong Tang,Xiaoping Bai,Yujie Wen,Shijun Shao,Ting Huo,Shuqing Dong
The efficient remediation of radioactive iodine is one of the pivotal issues constraining the sustainable advancement of nuclear energy. Herein, a green aerogel adsorbent based on the composite of zein nanoparticles (ZNPs) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was proposed for the effective capture of iodide ions from water. The uniform loading of ZNPs was implemented by in-situ crosslinking self-assembly technique using CMC as supporting skeleton. The ZNPs-CMC composite aerogel combined abundant active sites and optimized pore structure, achieving an optimal adsorption capacity of 2092.74 mg/g. The liquid-phase iodide ion adsorption process was dominated by heterogeneous surface chemisorption. The multi-path synergy including electrostatic interaction, halogen bonding and charge transfer endowed the ZNPs-CMC aerogels with outstanding iodine trapping properties. It maintained good structural stability and high adsorption selectivity in complex environments. After 8 cycles, the composite aerogel still preserved more than 80 % of the initial adsorption efficiency, confirming the favorable regeneration performance and promising engineering applications. The work achieved the innovative application of natural polymer-based materials in the management of radioactive pollutants through multi-stage pore design and functional site integration.
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FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
·
2019
·
IF 5.839
Linlin Li,Hualin Wang,Minmin Chen,Suwei Jiang,Junfeng Cheng,Xingjiang Li,Mingzhu Zhang,Shaotong Jiang
Resveratrol (R) has received growing attentions in therapeutic potential, however less focus is paid to its antibacterial or antioxidant nature for food preservation. In this work, R was efficiently encapsulated in electrospun gelatin/zein (GA/ZN) fibers for developing antibacterial mats to extend pork shelf life. The fiber morphology, thermal stability and hydrophobicity of the mats were associated with the ratios of GA/ZN. The secondary structure changes of protein were dependent on the intermolecular hydrogen bonds formed in the fiber matrix. The presence of R endowed the mats with antibacterial and antioxidant activity and the release of R followed Fickian diffusion mechanism in 10% ethanol and the coexistence of diffusion and erosion mechanisms in 3% acetic acid, respectively. The target fiber mats could extend the pork shelf life by 3 d at 4 °C, indicating the good application prospect in food preservation.
研究领域:
食品科学
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材料科学
·
生物技术
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ACS Applied Polymer Materials
·
2026
·
IF 4.7
Chi Zhang,Ruru Huang,Gaiping Guo,Huafeng Tian,Yuge Ouyang,Yujuan Jin,Jian Li,Rakesh Kumar
To solve the problem of white pollution and petroleum energy consumption, zein/PVA blended fibers were prepared by wet-spinning technology to replace petroleum-based synthetic fibers. Zein has the environmentally friendly and resource-abundant characteristics, but its low viscosity makes it difficult to process via wet-spinning. By enabling the successful wet-spinning of inherently poorly spinnable zein, the introduction of PVA yielded blended fibers that retained more than 81% of the zein content. The zein/PVA blended fibers exhibit a maximum tensile strength of 32.38 MPa, a maximum elongation at break of 561.80%, a moisture regain of 4%, and a dye-uptake rate of 59.68%. This work lays the foundation for using zein/PVA blended fibers as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based synthetic fibers in the textile industry.
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Foods
·
2026
·Vol. 15
·期 13
·2363
·
IF 6
Hui Xiang,Jianhui An,Qin Li,Xinyue Chang,Longchen Shang,Xiujuan Chen,Lingli Deng,Yexing Tao
Synthetic polymers are commonly incorporated into natural polymer nanofibers to enhance their overall performance. In this study, we investigated the effects of different poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) concentrations (0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10%w/v) on the properties of gelatin/zein nanofibers. With increasing PVA concentration, fiber diameter significantly decreased from 976 ± 165 nm to 262 ± 60 nm, followed by a gradual increase to 396 ± 81 nm, indicating that PVA plays a crucial role in fiber diameter regulation. At higher concentrations (7.5% and 10%w/v), PVA became dominant, inducing protein aggregation and porous channel formation, which in turn increased the water vapor permeability of the composites. Rheological and mechanical analyses revealed that at these concentrations, the composites exhibited enhanced flexibility while maintaining network stability, demonstrating strong application potential. Furthermore, PVA incorporation induced a slight increase in the primary decomposition temperature (from 320.77 °C to 328.67 °C), indicating enhanced intermolecular compatibility and restricted segmental mobility within the protein–PVA network. Overall, these results establish a theoretical basis for tailoring fiber architecture and interfacial compatibility in natural–synthetic polymer composites. Further, the structural attributes of the resulting fibrous mats indicate their potential for food processing applications beyond conventional food packaging, including use as filtration media.
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危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）