Research Progress on the Construction of Pickering Emulsion and Gel Systems and Their Applications in the Food Industry

Traditional synthetic emulsifiers have raised increasing concerns due to potential health risks and environmental issues. Pickering emulsions stabilized by natural solid particles have emerged as an important alternative. Such emulsions exploit the irreversible adsorption of particles at oil–water interfaces to form a stable barrier, combining stability with biocompatibility, making them suitable for constructing food-grade soft solid materials. This review summarizes the stabilization mechanisms, construction strategies, and application progress of Pickering emulsion gels in food. First, the irreversible adsorption of solid particles at oil–water interfaces and the formation mechanisms of gel networks are described, with an analysis of the effects of particle properties and environmental conditions on system stability. Subsequently, the types of food-grade stabilizing particles are introduced, including protein-based, polysaccharide-based, and composite particles. Then, the formation and stabilization mechanisms of Pickering emulsion gel systems, as well as their applications in food domains such as fat replacers, bioactive substance delivery, 3D-printed foods, and active packaging, are discussed. In addition, key challenges in the industrial translation of Pickering emulsion gels are discussed from multiple perspectives. Future research directions include the development of green, intelligent, and multifunctional Pickering emulsion gels, achieving precision nutrition delivery through programmed sequential release, and overcoming freeze–thaw stability bottlenecks to advance industrialized applications.