Rheological Properties and Microstructure of Peanut Protein-Pectin Composite Emulsion Gels

This study investigated the effects of different types and concentrations of oil phase on the texture properties of peanut protein-pectin composite emulsion gels induced by transglutaminase (TG), and it explored the gel formation mechanism by rheological measurements and microstructural analyses. The results showed that the gel strength of the peanut protein-pectin composite emulsion gels was significantly higher than that of the hydrogel. According to the appearance and the storage modulus (G’), the oil droplets interacted mechanically with the protein-pectin gel matrix, thereby affecting the texture and gel strength of the emulsion gels. Increasing oil phase concentration enhanced the mechanical properties of the emulsion gels and made the network structure more stable. The G’ value and hardness increase with oil phase concentration, indicating that the dispersed oil droplets act as active fillers to interact with the gel matrix. The microstructure of the peanut protein-pectin composite emulsion gel with palm oil at a concentration of 60% (V/V) as the oil phase showed a denser gel network structure.