Alginate and Protein Hydrogels for Food Packaging and Controlled Release
This community develops edible films, hydrogels, and delivery systems using natural biopolymers like alginate and proteins to preserve food quality, extend shelf life, and encapsulate bioactive compounds or drugs.
The research focuses heavily on sodium alginate and calcium alginate, often cross-linked with calcium chloride to form stable structures. These matrices are frequently combined with protein isolates—such as whey, soy, pea, and myofibrillar proteins—and other biopolymers like carboxymethyl cellulose and starch. Key applications include creating antimicrobial edible films loaded with essential oils, designing hydrogels for the controlled release of drugs like diclofenac sodium, and improving the oxidative stability and physicochemical properties of food products. The work also examines the interaction of these materials with volatile compounds and their efficacy in preserving fresh produce, such as silver carp surimi and minimally processed vegetables.
The largest share of the community's output is found in sodium research, accounting for 1.9% of all sodium-related papers, with 5,919 papers in this group. Calcium and chlorine also contribute significantly, representing 0.7% and 0.8% of their respective element research, with 2,288 and 2,154 papers here.
This body of work comprises 21,812 papers, published most frequently in Food Chemistry, Food Hydrocolloids, and Foods.
Recent work continues to explore the modification of sodium alginate for emerging applications, the development of gel-based edible inks for 3D food printing, and the regulation of release kinetics for bioactive compounds from biopolymeric hydrogels.