Construction and characterisation of mung bean protein isolate/carboxymethyl konjac glucomannan sodium hydrogels: Gel properties, structural properties, microstructure, sodium salt release, and 3D printing.

This study proposed a hydrogel system using mung bean protein isolate (MPI) and carboxymethyl konjac glucomannan (CKGM). The effects of CKGM addition on the gel properties, structural characteristics, and Na loading capacity of the MPI-CKGM system were investigated. FTIR and molecular docking techniques demonstrated that MPI and CKGM formed hydrogels via hydrogen bonding interactions. The addition of CKGM led to the increase in gel strength of the hydrogel, reaching a peak value at a CKGM concentration of 3.5 %, which was attributed to the formation of a denser network structure. All hydrogels exhibited excellent performance in 3D printing applications. Fluorescence microscopy results demonstrated that the MPI-CKGM hydrogel was capable of loading Na. Upon increasing the CKGM concentration to 3.5 %, the Na loading rate increased from 83.03 % to 91.20 %, thereby increasing Na release rate. The findings of this study can provide a foundation for further understanding the salt reduction mechanisms of hydrogels.