Enhancement of the gelling properties of Aristichthys nobilis: Insights into intermolecular interactions between okra polysaccharide and myofibrillar protein

The effects of various contents of okra polysaccharide (OP) (0%–1%) on myofibrillar protein (MP) gelation and the interaction mechanism between OP and MP were investigated. OP improved the gelling properties of MP with an additive limitation of 0.75%. Rheological analysis demonstrated that the addition of OP enhanced the interactions between MPs, resulting in a denser intermolecular gel network structure. The addition of OP shifted the I₈₅₀/I₈₃₀ of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, indicating that hydrogen bonds were formed between OP and MP. Adding OP promoted the transition from α-helix to β-sheet in the MP. OP exposed the hydrophobic groups of MPs and increased the number of hydrophobic interactions between them, favoring the formation of a dense gel network. Molecular docking predicted that hydrogen bonds were the main force involved in the binding of OP and MP. Moderate OP promoted the aggregation of MPs and improved their functional properties, facilitating heat-induced gelation.