Search

In this study, the effect of L-arginine (L-Arg) on the gel properties of low-salt (NaCl, 0.5 % w/w) Chinese shrimp surimi gel (SSG) was investigated and the mechanism was explored. As the L-Arg concentration was raised from 0 to 0.75 %, the gel strength and hardness of SSG reached the maximum values and remained stable, increasing by 7.63 % and 82.5 %, respectively, and these results were better than those of high-salt (2 % NaCl) control group. Moreover, L-Arg enhanced the apparent viscosity of minced shrimp, decreased the G' of minced shrimp but increased the G' of SSG. With the addition of L-Arg, the protein solubility was significantly elevated to 74.89 %. The binding of L-Arg to Chinese shrimp myosin was mainly dependent on hydrogen bonds. In summary, 0.75 % L-Arg increased protein solubility, hydrogen bonds and disulfide bonds, forming a denser gel network structure for low-salt SSG, thus improving gel properties., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, the encapsulation of melatonin (MT) in zein nanoparticles was investigated via anti-solvent co-precipitation method with pectin stabilization. Compared with MT-loaded zein nanoparticles (MT-Z NPs), 1.0 mg/mL pectin led to a 92.1 % of MT encapsulation efficiency, a 5.4 % of MT loading, a particle size growth from 111.3 to 294.8 nm, a ζ-potential reduction from +4.8 to -41.4 mV, and an irregular surface shape. Moreover, the hypsochromic and redshifts of the OH and amide I bands, and undetected MT crystalline characteristic peaks in MT-loaded zein/pectin nanoparticles (MT-Z/P NPs) revealed successful MT embedment governed by hydrogen and hydrophobic forces. The binding energies of zein with MT and pectin (-6.89 and - 7.01 kcal/mol) confirmed the stability of complex. MT-Z/P NPs prolonged MT release from 92.3 % to 63.6 % at 6 h in gastrointestinal tract (GIT) compared with MT-Z NPs, which could be a desirable MT delivery material in food industry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: This study investigated the contribution of 11 polysaccharides (2%, w/w), including pectin (PC), κ-carrageenan (KC), ι-carrageenan (IC), gellan gum (GG), guar gum (GM), sodium alginate (SA), konjac gum (KG), gum arabic (GA), fucoidan (FC), locust bean gum (LBG), and curdlan (CD), to the gel and microstructural properties of Meretrix meretrix clam gel (MMG)., Results: The hardness, springiness and chewiness of MMG with KC, IC, GG, SA and FC addition increased by ~10%-250%, while PC, GM, KG and LBG groups decreased by ~0.6% to 69%. KC, IC, SA, GG and FC decreased the cooking loss rate (CLR) by 69.4% to 88.7% and correspondingly enhanced the water holding capacity (WHC) by 10.2% to 21.4%, which was accompanied by an increased bound water and immobilized water area and high hydrogen proton density. The addition of KC transformed the MMG microstructure from a loose network with large pores to a compact, dense network, reducing lacunarity by 57.9%. The primary intermolecular forces in MMG with the incorporation of KC, IC, GG, SA and FC were hydrophobic interactions and disulfide bonds, which increased by 32.8%-105.3% and 45.6%-114.5% than MMG alone, respectively., Conclusion: Collectively, KC, IC, GG, SA and FC could improve the gel properties of MMG and the strongest synergistic combination was found in the MMG/KC system. This study suggests that the incorporation of polysaccharides is a strategy with potential for modifying the gel properties of shellfish surimi products. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Previous studies have investigated complexation and coacervation of scallop Patinopecten yessoensis male gonad hydrolysates (SMGHs) and polysaccharides influenced by pH and blending ratio. It has been found that SMGHs/polysaccharide composite shows better gel properties under strongly acidic conditions. Thus, the complexation and coacervation of SMGHs and gellan gum (GG) were investigated via turbidimetric titration at different pH values (1-12) and biopolymer blending ratios (9.5:0.5-6:4)., Results: Both pH c and pH φ1 exhibited ratio-independent behavior with constant values at approximately pH 5.8 and pH 3.8, respectively, dividing SMGHs/GG blends into three phases named mixed polymers, soluble complexes and insoluble coacervates, respectively. Overall, SMGHs and GG exhibited synergistic gelation under neutral and acidic conditions, with the initial storage modulus (G') increasing by approximately 42.5-, 573.7- and 3421-fold and 97.7-, 550.3- and 0.5-fold, respectively, at pH 7, 5 and 3, compared with SMGHs and GG. As pH decreased from 7 to 3, the initial G' and viscosity η values of SMGHs/GG gels increased by 20.1- and 2.3-fold, respectively, exhibiting the greatest increase in gel strength. Moreover, the free water in the SMGHs/GG system significantly shifted toward lower relaxation times attributed to the immobilization of the outer hydration layers. SMGHs/GG gels in the insoluble phase exhibited denser networks and rougher surfaces, supporting the enhanced rheological properties and water retention capacity of the gel., Conclusion: This work provides a basic foundation for the development of pH-driven SMGHs/GG gelation by examining complexation and coacervation processes. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Soft gels based on protein-polysaccharide composite systems play a crucial role in the dietary management of people with dysphagia. The effect of chia seed gum (CSG) on the gelling and swallowing properties of heat-induced whey protein isolate (WPI) gels (3.125-75 mg/mL) was investigated. The results showed that adding CSG reduced the gelation concentration of WPI and weak gels could form at 12.5 mg/mL WPI concentration. In addition, the viscoelasticity and water-binding capacity of the WPI/CSG composite gels were gradually enhanced with increasing WPI concentrations. The WPI/CSG composite systems can be classified as level 2-5 dysphagia-oriented foods according to the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) framework. The incorporation of CSG promoted the cross-linking of protein aggregates and the formation of compact and continuous network structures, resulting in improved gelling properties of composite systems. This study contributes to the development of novel soft gel-type dysphagia foods with better textural characteristics., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)