Construction of pomelo peel essential oil pickering emulsion and its impact on the freeze-thaw stability of surimi gel

Abstract Surimi gel products, often subjected to multiple freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles during storage and transport, suffer from texture deterioration and drip loss. High-fat additives, used to improve mouthfeel and gel properties, raise health concerns. This study aimed to improve F-T stability and reduce fat content by constructing a β -cyclodextrin (β-CD) stabilized Pickering emulsion using pomelo peel essential oil (PPEO). Optimal conditions were 3 % β -CD, pH 7.5, and an oil-to-water ratio of 2:8, yielding an emulsion with a particle size of 74.19 nm and 97.73 % emulsification activity. Replacing 0–100 % of basa fish oil with this emulsion in surimi gel significantly inhibited hardness loss after three F-T cycles ( p < 0.05). The 50 % substitution group promoted a dense gel network, achieving the highest whiteness and a water-holding capacity (WHC) of 83.25 % post F-T. Substituting 50 % of fat with PPEO Pickering emulsion enhanced F-T stability, antioxidant properties, whiteness, and WHC through microstructural optimization, offering a novel strategy for low-fat surimi product development.