Gelling mechanism of soy protein-κ-carrageenan blends
The gelling mechanism of soy protein and -κ carrageenan under different pH and ionic environments were investigated. At a pH higher than the isoelectric point of soy protein, soy protein and -κ carrageenan might enhance the gelation of the other component through volume exclusion. At a pH lower than the isoelectric point of soy protein, soy protein and κ- carrageenan were attractive, the local thickening and adsorption onto the gelling network might contribute to the enhancement of the gelling of one component on the other. Besides, -κ carrageenan might promote the gelation of soy protein by controlling the gelation speed. KCl contributed more to the gelling strength when -κ carrageenan formed a continuous phase in the composite system