High internal phase emulsions of ω-3 fatty acids stabilized by fish scale gelatin particles: Application to lipid-enhanced surimi 3D printing

This study explores the use of exogenous lipid fortification and 3D printing technologies in the production of innovative surimi products. Specifically, the study focuses on stabilizing high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids using microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) cross-linked fish scale gelatin particles (FSG). The addition of FSG significantly increased the HIPEs' thermal and freeze-thaw stability. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) demonstrated that cross-linking between FSG particles further stabilized the network structure of the HIPEs. An attempt was made to prepare food inks for 3D printing by incorporating the obtained HIPEs into surimi to investigate the effects of HIPEs on the mechanical properties, rheological behavior, moisture distribution and printing performance of HIPEs-surimi system. The mechanical properties of surimi were enhanced by including HIPEs, which allowed for finer print nozzles (1.2 mm) and produced finer textures. The incorporation of HIPEs in surimi products resulted in an increase in the amount of healthy lipids, which is beneficial for meeting the nutritional needs of consumers and addressing the technical challenges in producing high-end surimi products.