Food-grade aerogels obtained from polysaccharides, proteins, and seed mucilages: Role as a carrier matrix of functional food ingredients

Food-grade aerogels are solid materials possessing high surface area, high porosity, and ultra-low density. Until today, numerous aerogels have been fabricated from polysaccharides, proteins, and seed mucilages which fulfill the requirements for food applications. Meanwhile, food industries have placed higher priority on the development of healthy foods through the incorporation of functional ingredients. However, the protection of these sensitive ingredients from adverse conditions is highly challenging. Therefore, the fabrication of food-grade aerogels and impregnating them with desired functional ingredients is the rapidly emerging trend. The objective of the current review is to highlight the influence of various production conditions on the end structural properties of each food-grade aerogels. The recent findings on the impregnation method, impregnation efficiency, and controlled release properties of food-grade aerogels loaded with various functional ingredients are noteworthy. Therefore, the study was framed to discuss relevant research reports in four sections viz-polysaccharide aerogels, protein aerogels, seed mucilage aerogels, and their role as a carrier matrix of functional ingredients for food applications. The end structural properties significantly differ between each food-grade aerogels based on the production parameters and methods employed. Food-grade aerogel as a carrier matrix of functional ingredients protects the micronutrients, healthy oils, and bioactive compounds from degradation, enhances their bioavailability, and controls their release into the target site. However, the challenges associated with the incorporation of impregnated food-grade aerogels into real food systems must be addressed.