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• Addition of NaCl could lessen the flocculation of egg yolk and κ-carrageenan. • The viscoelasticity of hydrogels depended on the aggregation of gel molecules. • The decreased hydration ability of gel molecules against the water/oil trapping. • Water holding capacity of emulsion gels was depressed by oil. In this study, the influence of NaCl on the flocculation behavior and gel properties of egg yolk/κ-carrageenan mixed dispersions or emulsions were studied. As a result of NaCl incorporation, there was a decrease in the mean droplet size, zeta potential, degree of flocculation and viscosity of the mixed dispersions/emulsions, and the onset point of gelation was also brought forward. Increasing the concentration of NaCl led to a significant increase in gel strength and decrease in gel cohesiveness. Results from low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) confirmed that the addition of NaCl could significantly reduce the hydration ability of gel molecules and increase the content of immobilized water of hydrogels as the gel strength increased, while the water holding capacity of emulsion gels was depressed with the incorporation of oil. These findings suggested the flocculation state and gel properties of egg yolk/κ-carrageenan mixed dispersions/emulsions can be tailored by adjusting NaCl for food formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of sodium tripolyphosphate and sugar on cold-set gel properties of egg yolk/κ-carrageenan/xanthan gum mixed dispersions were investigated by zeta potential, rheological measurements, gel textural analysis and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR). As the yolk content increased to the 5 g/100 mL in aqueous systems, phase separation of mixed gel could be observed, due to the relatively rough gel appearance. Furthermore, the addition of phosphate could significantly improve the phase separation of mixed gels by elevating the pH and reducing zeta potential. The increase in the content of yolk and sugar brought an enhancement in gel storage modulus, while the addition of phosphate induced a dramatic decrease in the gelation rate of mixed gels. Textural analysis confirmed that hydrogen bonding interaction was the important force, which determined gel strength of the ternary composite cold-set gelation system. The result of LF-NMR revealed that there was a negative correlation between the decrease of proton mobility of immobilization water and the increase of gel strength in different sample series. • The phase separation of composite gels could be improved by polyphosphate. • Changes in G′ and hardness of composite gels depend on the hydrogen bonds. • Gel strength has a strong relation with the proton mobility of composite gels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, alginate/κ-carrageenan hydrogel beads were developed to encapsulate and release egg yolk immunoglobulin Y (IgY) under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The effects of κ-carrageenan concentration on the encapsulation and loading efficiency of the hydrogel beads was assessed, as well as on their swelling and release behavior in a simulated human gut. An κ-carrageenan concentration of 0.30% gave the optimum encapsulation and loading efficiency. After incubation in simulated gastric fluids, there was no loss in IgY activity when it was encapsulated within alginate/carrageenan beads but around 35% loss when it was encapsulated in pure alginate beads. This effect was attributed to a stronger electrostatic attraction and a more closely packed biopolymer network formed within the composite beads, based on measurements of their electrical and microstructural properties. The composite beads were resistant to swelling in the stomach phase, but not in the intestine phase. The kinetics of swelling under simulated gastric conditions was found to follow Schott's second-order model. The gastrointestinal digestion of the IgY was slower in the composite beads than in the pure alginate beads. The release kinetics of IgY from the composite beads was fitted by an irregular release model. Our results suggest that alginate/κ-carrageenan composite beads are efficient carriers for the delivery systems of hydrophilic immunoglobins. Image 1 • A high encapsulation efficiency of IgY in alginate/carrageenan beads was achieved. • Alginate/carrageenan beads had a denser internal microstructure than alginate ones. • 0.3% carrageenan gave strong protection of IgY-loaded beads in gastric conditions. • Release kinetics of IgY from beads was fitted best by an irregular release model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]