Delonix regia galactomannan hydrolysates: Rheological behavior and physicochemical characterization.

Highlights • Controlled enzymatic hydrolysis of Delonix regia galactomannan was achieved. • Viscoelastic properties changes at threshold molecular weights were established. • Wide range of viscosities were obtained with hydrolysates dispersions. • Delonix regia and their hydrolysates chemical structure was unchanged. • Galactomannan water solubility increases with hydrolysis. Abstract The galactomannan extracted from Delonix regia (DRGM) seeds was hydrolyzed at different enzyme dosages and reaction times. A linear relation between inverse Molecular weight (Mn) and hydrolysis time was obtained, and the Mn reduction was controlled from 4.86 × 105 to 1.95 × 105 Da. The hydrolysis does not affect galactomannan structure as observed by FT-IR and DRX, maintaining an amorphous structure with only a slight increase in galactose:mannose relationship as observed by 1H NMR. A rheological behavior shift was observed below Mn = 4.15 × 105 Da when viscoelastic behavior changes from a weak gel to a macromolecular solution in a 3% (w/v) galactomannan hydrolysate. Shear viscosity of 3% (w/v) galactomannan dispersion in water follows closely a power law equation where the consistency index decreased, and the flow behavior index increased with increasing hydrolysis degree. These results indicate the conditions for obtaining specific viscoelastic properties of DRGM dispersions for specific applications by a careful control of the enzymatic hydrolysis process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]