Promotion effect of the 1, 2-propanediol on the gel-related properties of locust bean gum/xanthan synergistic gel system.

The synergistic interaction gels of locust bean gum (LBG) /xanthan show great potential for application in the food industry, such as 3D printing and taste/texture simulation. Including 1, 2-propanediol (PDO) significantly promoted the gel-related properties of LBG/xanthan gels. The synergistic interaction between LBG and xanthan was enhanced with the presence of small amounts of PDO (≤ 20 %) due to the dehydration effect of PDO and the resulting promotion of the molecular association. As a result, this further improved the gel network and the gel strength (G' value and gel hardness). However, more significant amounts of PDO (20 %-40 %) imposed adverse effects with the weakened gel structure and the reduced strength, which was related to the excessive hydration effect and the decreased association of LBG with xanthan. These findings favor the design and development of the synergistic interaction gels with the improved gel structure, gelling temperature, and mechanical strength.