Abstract:
This study aimed to explore the effects of combined gellan gum, carrageenan, and sodium alginate on polysaccharide composite gel properties, and evaluated their practical applications in food production. Single gels composed of gellan gum, carrageenan, or sodium alginate were prepared, alongside four composite gels formulated at ratios of 1:1:1, 2:1:1, 1:2:1, and 1:1:2. Gel properties were characterized by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance(LF-NMR), rheological analysis, differential scanning calorimetry(DSC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). The results revealed that, compared to single-component gels, composite gels exhibited markedly improved water-binding capacities, as evidenced by shortened T
23 relaxation times, decreased A
23 values, increased storage modulus, and reduced freezeable water content. Among all samples, the 1:2:1 composite gel showed the lowest freezable water content(76.14%), which was reduced by 14.14%, 20.51%, and 23.01% compared to single gels of gellan gum, carrageenan, and sodium alginate, respectively. Additionally, FTIR analysis showed an increased amplitude at 3424 cm
−1 and a peak shift at 1637 cm
−1, and SEM images revealed dense and homogeneous network structures, confirming that interactions such as hydrogen bonding among these polysaccharides significantly enhanced gel properties and microstructural characteristics. Sensory evaluations conducted on suspension beverages formulated with composite gels revealed the ratio of 1:2:1 to be superior, as this particular composite gel formulation demonstrated enhanced stability compared to other tested ratios.