Formation and characteristics of curcumin-loaded binary gels formed from large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) roe protein isolate and gellan gum.

• Gellan gum (GG) improved gel formation of protein isolate from P. crocea roe (pcRPI). • GG improved the rheological properties and water holding ability of pcRPI gels. • The pcRPI-GG binary gels showed denser, more aggregated network structure. • GG improved the protective effects of curcumin by pcRPI gels with control release. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of gellan gum (GG) on the cold gelation of large yellow croaker roe protein isolate (pcRPI). The water-holding ability and storage modulus of the pcRPI-GG binary gels increased with the GG concentration, where the storage modulus of the pcRPI-0.2% GG gel was approximately 30.7 times that of the pure pcRPI gel. Compare to the other binary gels, pcRPI-0.2% GG gels exhibited a lower lacunarity and higher junction density, with a denser, more aggregated microstructure. Consequently, curcumin was embedded in pcRPI-0.2% GG gels, and simulated gastrointestinal digestion test results showed that GG addition effectively protected and slowed curcumin release in the gastrointestinal environment. These findings may contribute to elucidating the interaction of pcRPI with GG and demonstrate the potential of binary gels for the embedding and delivery of active substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]