Based on the previous research, this work aimed to reveal the effect of sweet potato protein hydrolysates (SPPHs) with different molecular weights (1000, 3000, and 8000 Da) at 0.5 % on the gelation behavior of calcium-induced sodium alginate (SA), and the encapsulation efficiency and storage stability of purple sweet potato anthocyanins (PSPA) in calcium-induced alginate gel beads was determined. Results indicated that SPPHs with a molecular weight of 8000 Da formed hydrogen bonds and other interactions with SA, which strengthened the internal network connections of the gel, significantly enhanced the gel and effectively filled its pores. The highest encapsulation efficiency was achieved at 87.27 %, compared to 61.73 % without SPPHs. Additionally, stored at 37 °C for 21 days after commercial sterilization, the residual concentration of PSPA with SPPHs was 2.50 times higher than that without SPPHs. SPPHs can enhance the encapsulation efficiency of PSPA and retard their release in gel beads., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)