[Structure and properties of complex gels of gelatin and pectin]

The authors studied the effects of aging time and composition on the thermomechanical properties of complex gels of gelatin and pectin which had been produced on the basis of complexes obtained at pH values below the isoelectric point of gelatin. With aging for up to 7 days, the elasticity of the gels decreases and the melting points are raised by 2--4degreesC. An increase in the relative content of pectin in the complex leads to a considerable rise of the melting point of the complex gel. The increase in heat stability of these gels is explained by the development of an ion lattice, which is due to the interaction of the oppositely charged groups of the pectin and the gelatin. Furthermore, hydrophobic interactions between the non-polar groups of the components might be involved.