Pea starch-based oleogels based on capillary water crosslinking: Physicochemical properties and 3D printing performance

The strong hydrophilicity of native starch limits its application as an oil gelling agent. In this study, starch-based oleogels were created by using water to form capillary crosslinks between starch granules dispersed in oil. Initially, we prepared pea starch-soybean oil gels containing a range of starch and water contents. The rheological properties, oil holding capacity, thermal stability, structural characteristics, and 3D printing performance of these oleogels were then evaluated. In addition, the impact of a thermal treatment on the properties of these oleogels was also examined. Increasing the starch and water content significantly increased the rheological properties and oil holding capacity (13.37%) of the oleogels, which was attributed to the formation of a stronger starch granule network in the oil phase held together by capillary forces. In addition, the oil holding capacity of the oleogels increased appreciably after the thermal treatment, which was mainly attributed to swelling of the starch granules. Oleogels with good 3D food printing performance could be produced by optimizing their starch and water content. This study provides valuable insights into the formulation of starch-based oleogels for 3D printing applications, which may be useful as solid fat substitutes in the food industry.