Lentil protein concentrate + pectin gels dried with SC-CO2: Influence of protein-polysaccharide interactions on the characteristics of aerogels

This study investigated the interactions of lentil protein concentrate (LPC) and pectin hydrogels and their influence on the physico-chemical characteristics of aerogels. First, emulsion gels were formed using high-intensity ultrasound (HIUS) and the impact of HIUS nominal power, and concentrations of LPC and pectin on the gelation were evaluated. Then, the emulsion gels were dried using supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) and the density, surface area, crystallinity index, microstructure and oil and water absorption capacities of the aerogels formed were evaluated. Overall, there was no significant effect of HIUS power on the viscoelastic behavior of the emulsion gels. The emulsion gels exhibited shear-thinning behavior and had thermo-reversible property. The FT-IR spectra of the aerogels showed predominant β-sheets, responsible for the non-covalent bond formation. The aerogels had semi-crystalline structure, densities of 0.0009–0.003 g/mm3 and surface area of 2.4–7.6 m2/g. The LPC-pectin interactions can be explored to form tailor-made aerogels for bioactive delivery.