Tibetan sheepskin collagen/highland barley β-glucan composite gels induced by calcium or sodium ions: Gelling properties and formation mechanisms.
Yun Chen Jie CJ, Zhang Xu Dong XD, Qi Jiao J, Zhang Yu Bin YB
To investigate the effects of different concentrations of salt ions (Na+ and Ca2+) on the properties of Tibetan sheepskin collagen and highland barley β-glucan (TSC-HBG) composite gel systems, their properties and structure were evaluated based on their gel strength, water-holding capacity, rheological behavior, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, and micromorphology. Moderate concentrations of salt ions significantly promoted the formation of TSC-HBG composite gels, whereas excessive ion concentrations disrupted the gel network structure. In the gel produced by adding Na+, protein-polysaccharide interactions were primarily regulated by electrostatic shielding. In the presence of 30 mM Na+, gel strength was 1.97-fold higher than that in the ion-free gel, while the water-holding capacity was 1.12% higher, and the storage modulus (G') was also significantly increased (p < 0.05). In contrast, Ca2+ formed a denser and more homogeneous three-dimensional network through ionic bridging interactions. In the presence of 20 mM Ca2+, the gel strength increased by 2.6-fold. This was accompanied by a 1.14% increase in water-holding capacity, indicating a more pronounced enhancement of gel network strength and structural stability. Overall, the storage modulus of TSC-HBG gels was significantly enhanced by both Ca2+ and Na+. A compact and stable gel network was formed at 20 mM Ca2+ and 30 mM Na+. The enhanced gel properties were attributed to electrostatic shielding by Na+ and ionic bridging by Ca2+. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the rational design of collagen peptide-polysaccharide composite gels with functional food applications.