Hydrophilic anchoring by C-phycocyanin enhances pea protein nanofibril gelation

ABSTRACT Pea protein amyloid fibrils are promising building blocks for creating plant-based hydrogels, but their gelation capacity is limited by high flexibility and low solubility. This study demonstrates that simple mixing of C-phycocyanin with pea protein nanofibrils drives gelation through hydrophilic anchoring. C-phycocyanin increases nanofibril hydrophilicity and restricts fibril flexibility, while hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions at the nanofibril–phycocyanin interface stabilize the resulting complexes. These effects promote thermally induced network formation. Unlike nanofibrils alone, the hybrid systems form hydrogels with markedly improved water resistance and mechanical strength. This study provides a versatile approach for constructing functional nanofibril-based hydrogels with potential applications in food structuring, bioactive delivery, and biomaterials.