Zhang Yuxue, Zhang Ke, Chen Jianxin, Chen Xiaoqiang
School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China; Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China.
Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China.
Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 May;306(Pt 2):141442. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.141442. Epub 2025 Feb 25.
Tea polysaccharide conjugate (gTPC) is a macromolecular conjugate in tea, whose functional properties need further exploration to expand its utilization pathways. In this study, gTPC-0.2A was extracted from green tea residues using a 0.2 wt% alkaline solution. This polysaccharide is an acidic polysaccharide containing uronic acid. The effects of Na and Ca on rheological properties of gTPC-0.2A and its gelation mechanisms were investigated. The addition of Na and Ca induced gelation of gTPC-0.2A, with rheological properties including deformation resistance, apparent viscosity, and thixotropic recovery increasing with higher metal ion concentrations. When Na and Ca concentrations exceeded 0.160 M and 0.008 M, respectively, these rheological characteristics of both gels diminished. Gelation studies indicated that electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic interactions were the primary driving forces for gTPC-0.2A gel formation. Appropriate metal ion concentrations promoted a denser, more stable network structure and enhanced thermal stability, whereas excessive ion concentrations disrupted these properties and weakened interactions. The findings demonstrate that adding optimal concentrations of Na and Ca can enhance the rheological properties of gTPC-0.2A aqueous solutions and induce gel formation. This research highlights the potential of tea polysaccharides as novel gel materials with promising applications in functional foods, biomedicine, and related fields.
茶多糖共轭物（gTPC）是茶叶中的一种大分子共轭物，其功能特性有待进一步探索以拓展其利用途径。在本研究中，使用0.2 wt%的碱性溶液从绿茶残渣中提取出gTPC-0.2A。这种多糖是一种含糖醛酸的酸性多糖。研究了Na和Ca对gTPC-0.2A流变学性质及其凝胶化机制的影响。Na和Ca的添加诱导了gTPC-0.2A的凝胶化，随着金属离子浓度升高，其流变学性质包括抗变形性、表观粘度和触变恢复性均增加。当Na和Ca浓度分别超过0.160 M和0.008 M时，两种凝胶的这些流变学特性均减弱。凝胶化研究表明，静电相互作用、氢键和疏水相互作用是gTPC-0.2A凝胶形成的主要驱动力。适当的金属离子浓度促进形成更致密、更稳定的网络结构并增强热稳定性，而过高的离子浓度则破坏这些性质并削弱相互作用。研究结果表明，添加最佳浓度的Na和Ca可增强gTPC-0.2A水溶液的流变学性质并诱导凝胶形成。本研究突出了茶多糖作为新型凝胶材料在功能食品、生物医学及相关领域具有广阔应用前景的潜力。
