Construction of alkali-induced rice protein/konjac glucomannan hydrogel and its application in gel candy

Abstract

To enhance the high-value application of rice protein in food products, this study developed an alkali-induced rice protein/konjac glucomannan hydrogel and applied it to the gel candy. The results indicate that the hydrogel primarily exhibited elastic characteristics, with hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions serving as the main driving forces for hydrogel formation. The optimal comprehensive properties of the hydrogel were achieved at a sodium carbonate concentration of 14 % and a rice protein concentration of 1 %. The addition of sucrose was found to improve the hardness, cohesiveness, and gel strength of gel candy. Specifically, when the amounts of sodium carbonate, rice protein, and sucrose were 14 %, 1 %, and 14 %, respectively, the gel candy exhibited the best gel strength, viscoelasticity, and microstructure. This study provides a new strategy for the application of rice protein in food and fills a gap in the current research of rice protein-konjac glucomannan composite hydrogels.