Chestnut porous starch loaded with curcumin: preparation, characterization and applications in 3D printing of chestnut flour.

This study developed a sustainable delivery system by investigating curcumin (Cur) adsorption onto chestnut porous starch (CPS) through kinetic, isotherm, and thermodynamic analyses, subsequently evaluating the CPS/Cur complex as a functional ingredient in 3D-printed chestnut flour (CF) gels. Results indicated that CPS achieved an adsorption capacity of 6.82 mg/g at 25 °C within 300 min. The adsorption process conformed to the pseudo-first-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm, revealing a spontaneous, exothermic monolayer adsorption primarily driven by physical entrapment and intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Multispectral characterizations confirmed the successful formation of the CPS/Cur complex via this green strategy, evidenced by the masking of curcumin's characteristic peaks. Crucially, a 12.0% CF formulation optimized both extrudability and shape fidelity while strictly satisfying IDDSI Level 5 criteria for safe swallowing. Overall, this scalable approach demonstrates exceptional potential for the continuous, automated 3D printing of personalized, value-added functional foods tailored for dysphagia management.