Gelation melioration with synergistic interaction between κ-carrageenan and senna tora gum mixed gel

This study aimed to explore the synergistic effect between κ-carrageenan (KC) and senna tora gum (STG). Firstly, we found that the texture parameters, freeze-thaw stability and viscosity of KC-STG mixed gel were obviously improved compared with KC and STG. After that, the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that KC's structure is the main one in the KC-STG mixed gel, and the hydrogen bonding force between KC and STG molecules was enhanced. The results of thermal analysis showed a high gel-sol transition temperature in the KC-STG mixed gel. A reduction in the mobility of water molecules and a more uniform distribution of water in the KC-STG mixed gel could be observed in the low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) consequences. Finally, the microstructure of the gel was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), in which the STG network acted as a scaffold to fill in between the multilayered sheets of KC. The above results suggested an obvious synergistic effect between KC and STG.