Modulating hydrophilic properties of β-cyclodextrin/carboxymethyl cellulose colloid particles to stabilize Pickering emulsions for food 3D printing

This research investigated edible Pickering emulsions stabilized by polysaccharide complexes as inks for food 3D printing. The interface membrane structure in the Pickering emulsion system was formed using complexes consisting of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Except for provide sufficient steric barrier and electrostatic repulsion to increase the stability of the Pickering emulsions, the interface membrane constructs also can demonstrate good biphasic wettability and lower oil/water interfacial tension. The hydrophilicity of complexes (β-CD/CMC) was mainly adjusted by the ratio of β-CD/CMC (Rβ/C) and the substitution degree (DS) of CMC, which further adjusted the physical and chemical properties of Pickering emulsion to make it correspond to the rheological behavior applied to 3D printing. The stable Pickering emulsion (Rβ/C = 2:2, DS = 1.2, weight ratio of oil phase (φ) = 65 %) displayed excellent printing potential by characterizations analysis of Pickering emulsions. The smoothness, viscosity, and self-supporting ability of the Pickering emulsion under the optimized conditions were further analyzed using a filling density printing experiment of a cuboid model. The emulsifying properties of β-CD were adjusted by hydrophilic CMC to achieve the required amphipathic properties of the complexes to develop Pickering emulsions for food 3D printing.