Steam Explosion Modified κ-Carrageenan Structure and Its Jelly Application

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biotechnology
• Marine Resources

Background:

• Kappa-carrageenan is a valuable polysaccharide extracted from red seaweed.
• Traditional extraction methods can be improved for enhanced yield and quality.
• Understanding structural modifications is key to optimizing carrageenan applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare kappa-carrageenan structural characteristics extracted via steam explosion (SE)-assisted alkali treatment versus conventional alkali treatment.
• To evaluate the impact of SE treatment on the quality attributes of kappa-carrageenan jellies.

Main Methods:

• Extraction of kappa-carrageenan from Eucheuma using SE-assisted alkali treatment and conventional alkali treatment.
• Analysis of carrageenan structural groups, including sulfate and 3,6-anhydrogalactose (3,6-AG) content.
• Assessment of jelly gel strength and water precipitation rate.

Main Results:

• SE treatment did not change the carrageenan species but significantly increased sulfate group content by 15.86% and 3,6-AG content by 45.08%.
• Jellies from SE-treated kappa-carrageenan exhibited an 80.9% increase in gel strength at 1.5% concentration.
• Optimal jelly formulation using SE-treated carrageenan minimized water precipitation to 7.96 ± 0.69% at 1.7% concentration.

Conclusions:

• SE-assisted alkali treatment is an effective method for enhancing kappa-carrageenan extraction and quality.
• The improved structural characteristics translate to superior gel properties, making SE-treated carrageenan suitable for jelly production.
• This study highlights the potential of SE technology for optimizing the utilization of marine polysaccharides.