Gelation carrageenans

Tziboula, A. and Home, D. S. 1999. Influence of whey protein denaturation on re-carrageenan gelation. Colloid Surf. B Biointeifaces 12 299-308. 

During cooling of hot solutions of /c- or t-type carrageenans, gelation occurs because the linear molecules are unable to form continuous double helices due to the presence of structural irregularities. The linear helical portions then associate to form a three-dimensional network in the presence of the appropriate cation. All salts of lambda-type carrageenans are soluble and non-gelling. 

Commercial locust bean gum is the ground endosperm of the seeds of the locust bean (carob) tree. The general properties of locust bean gum are similar to those of guar gum. Differences are its low cold-water solubiUty and its synergistic gelation with kappa-carrageenan, furceUaran, and xanthan... 

Consistent with their chemical differences, the molecular structures of i- and K-carrageenans are not identical. A shorter pitch and an offset positioning of the two chains in the kappa helix is compatible with the lack of sulfate group on every 3,6-anhydrogalactose residue. The variations in molecular structures mirror the types of junction zones formed by these polymers and relate to the observed gelation properties. 

C. Carrageenan and gellan gum gelation mechanism and supermolecular structure... 

Abbasi, S., Dickinson, E. (2004). Gelation of t-carrageenan and micellar casein mixtures under high hydrostatic pressure. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 52, 1705-1714. 

Borgstrom, J., Egermayer, M., Sparrman, T., Quist, P.O., Piculell, L. (1998). Liquid crystallinity versus gelation of K-carrageenan in mixed salts effects of molecular weight, salt composition and ionic strength. Langmuir, 14, 4935 1938. 

Capron, I., Taco, N., Durand, D. (1999). Heat induced aggregation and gelation of p-lacto-globulin in the presence of K-carrageenan. Food Hydrocolloids, 13, 1-5. 

FlG. 2.—Schematic Form of the Proposed Mechanism for Gelation of i- and K-Car-rageenan. [In t-carrageenan gels, aggregation of double-helix junction-zones does not occur.]... 

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