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Volume 12
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10.3390/gels12010040
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

The Influence of Polysaccharides on the Textural Properties and Water Retention Capacity of Animal–Plant Dual-Protein Gels

by
Wenhao Gao
1,2,†,
Zhiming Wang
2,†,
Zhihao Zhao
2,
Yuanyuan Deng
2,
Jingjing Wang
3,
Pengfei Zhou
2,
Ping Li
2,
Yan Zhang
2,
Mingwei Zhang
1,2,4,* and
Guang Liu
2,*
1
College of Life Sciences, Yangtze University, Jinzhou 430070, China
2
Sericultural & Agri-Food Research Institute Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Guangzhou 510610, China
3
Department of Food Science, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
4
Food Laboratory of Zhongyuan, Luohe 462300, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Gels 2026, 12(1), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12010040
Submission received: 29 November 2025 / Revised: 21 December 2025 / Accepted: 24 December 2025 / Published: 31 December 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Composite Gels in Food Processing and Engineering)
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Abstract

To develop nutrient-rich whole-food gels for individuals with dysphagia, this study constructed a pork–whole soy milk composite gel (PSG) using a hybrid animal–plant protein approach. The effects of xanthan gum, konjac glucomannan, and guar gum at different concentrations (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%) on the gel properties, protein conformation, and microstructure of different PSGs were systematically investigated. The results indicated that polysaccharides interfered with protein cross-linking and disrupted the gel network, leading to reduced gel hardness. Due to their abundant hydrophilic groups, the polysaccharides significantly enhanced the water-holding capacity (p < 0.05), achieving a synergistic outcome of structural softening and functional reinforcement. A comprehensive evaluation identified the PSG with 1.0% xanthan gum as the optimal formulation, which exhibited a 43.2% increase in water-holding capacity and a hardness only 23.5% of the control, complying with both International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) Level 5 and Japanese Dysphagia Diet Level III standards. This study elucidates the mechanism by which polysaccharides modulate whole-food protein gels and provides a practical strategy for developing dysphagia-friendly foods that preserve nutritional quality and are suitable for industrial production.
Keywords: pork–whole soy milk gel; polysaccharides; dysphagia; texture modification; IDDSI pork–whole soy milk gel; polysaccharides; dysphagia; texture modification; IDDSI
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MDPI and ACS Style

Gao, W.; Wang, Z.; Zhao, Z.; Deng, Y.; Wang, J.; Zhou, P.; Li, P.; Zhang, Y.; Zhang, M.; Liu, G. The Influence of Polysaccharides on the Textural Properties and Water Retention Capacity of Animal–Plant Dual-Protein Gels. Gels 2026, 12, 40. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12010040

AMA Style

Gao W, Wang Z, Zhao Z, Deng Y, Wang J, Zhou P, Li P, Zhang Y, Zhang M, Liu G. The Influence of Polysaccharides on the Textural Properties and Water Retention Capacity of Animal–Plant Dual-Protein Gels. Gels. 2026; 12(1):40. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12010040

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gao, Wenhao, Zhiming Wang, Zhihao Zhao, Yuanyuan Deng, Jingjing Wang, Pengfei Zhou, Ping Li, Yan Zhang, Mingwei Zhang, and Guang Liu. 2026. "The Influence of Polysaccharides on the Textural Properties and Water Retention Capacity of Animal–Plant Dual-Protein Gels" Gels 12, no. 1: 40. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12010040

APA Style

Gao, W., Wang, Z., Zhao, Z., Deng, Y., Wang, J., Zhou, P., Li, P., Zhang, Y., Zhang, M., & Liu, G. (2026). The Influence of Polysaccharides on the Textural Properties and Water Retention Capacity of Animal–Plant Dual-Protein Gels. Gels, 12(1), 40. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12010040

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