Dual-function Pickering emulsion stabilized by oat β-glucan/soybean protein nanoparticles via hydrogen bonding-driven self-assembly for fat substitutes and shelf-life extension in cheese sticks.

Developing clean-label fat substitutes that mimic texture and inhibit spoilage is challenging in low-fat dairy industry. Herein, oat β-glucan/soybean protein nanoparticles were fabricated via ultrasonication. Spectroscopy and molecular docking confirmed hydrogen bonding drove the self-assembly of oat β-glucan and soybean protein into nanoparticles, possessing a mean particle size of 380.30 nm and zeta potential of -23.30 mV. Pickering emulsion with different oil phase fractions (30%-70%, v/v) were prepared using nanoparticles as the emulsifers, finding that nanoparticles effectively stabilized Pickering emulsion with a 5:5 water-to-oil ratio, maintaining structural integrity against pasteurization (70 °C) and neutral pH. When incorporated into cheese sticks, the low oil Pickering emulsion outperformed direct nanoparticle addition, ameliorating textural defects by reducing hardness while preserving cohesiveness. Crucially, the Pickering emulsion-fortified cheese sticks exhibited superior protein retention, enhanced sensory profiles, and extended shelf life. These results demonstrate their potential as dual-functional stabilizers for creating shelf-stable and texture-optimized low-fat dairy formulations.