Heat-induced arachin and basil seed gum composite gels improved by NaCl and microbial transglutaminase: Gelling properties and structure

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of NaCl and TGase on the gelling properties and structures of heat-induced arachin and basil seed gum composite gels. It was found that the combination of NaCl and TGase significantly enhanced the gel strength, storage modulus, and water holding capacity of the composite gels, which was superior to those of the gels only added with NaCl or TGase. The low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) results showed that the addition of NaCl and TGase decreased the T21 and T22 relaxation time due to the formation of compact gel network. The gel added with NaCl first and then crosslinked by TGase showed a denser microstructure and a higher freeze-thaw stability. Moreover, the secondary structures of arachin and the color of the composite gels could be significantly influenced by the addition order of NaCl and TGase. These results may provide some useful information for designing gel foods with various textural and sensory characteristics.