Formation and functional properties of protein-polysaccharide electrostatic hydrogels in comparison to protein or polysaccharide hydrogels.
Protein and polysaccharide mixed systems have been actively studied for at least 50years as they can be assembled into functional particles or gels. This article reviews the properties of electrostatic gels, a recently discovered particular case of associative protein-polysaccharide mixtures formed through associative electrostatic interaction under appropriate solution conditions (coupled gel). This review highlights the factors influencing gel formation such as protein-polysaccharide ratio, biopolymer structural characteristics, final pH, ionic strength and total solid concentration. For the first time, the functional properties of protein-polysaccharide coupled gels are presented and discussed in relationship to individual protein and polysaccharide hydrogels. One of their outstanding characteristics is their gel water retention. Up to 600g of water per g of biopolymer may be retained in the electrostatic gel network compared to a protein gel (3-9g of water per g of protein). Potential applications of the gels are proposed to enable the food and non-food industries to develop new functional products with desirable attributes or new interesting materials to incorporate bioactive molecules.
STELA Dairy Research Centre, Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science, Université Laval, 2425 rue de l'agriculture, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada.
Xuan T
XT
Le
STELA Dairy Research Centre, Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science, Université Laval, 2425 rue de l'agriculture, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada.
Laurie-Eve
LE
Rioux
STELA Dairy Research Centre, Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science, Université Laval, 2425 rue de l'agriculture, G1V 0A6, Québec, Canada. Electronic address: Sylvie.Turgeon@fsaa.ulaval.ca.
Sylvie L
SL
Turgeon
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry*; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D055672:Static Electricity
D020100:Hydrogels; D011134:Polysaccharides; D011506:Proteins
Functional properties; Gelation water holding properties; Mixed electrostatic gel; Polysaccharide; Protein