Development of a gelled honey product with a mixture of polysaccharides

Abstract

The work aimed to develop a gelled product based on honey and a polysaccharide system. Polysaccharides used as gelling and texturizing agents were ĸ-carrageenan (Car) and locust bean gum (LBG). The gel with honey was developed using a rotational central composite design (RCCD) with three variables (concentration of polysaccharides, Car percentage in polysaccharides, and honey content) and Bloom Strength (BS) was used as a response variable. The BS of the gelled system increased linearly with the content in Car and LBG used as gelling and texturizing agents. The Car-LBG system showed maximum values at 64.85% of Car and 35.15 % of LBG. Honey concentration in the Car-LBG system increased BS to a maximum value of 14.47g/100g. The rheological profile (Gꞌ, Gꞌꞌ, tan δ) of the obtained product showed the typical behavior of polysaccharide gels. The gelation (Tg = 44.5±0.4 °C) and melting (Tm = 66.1±0.2 °C) temperatures were determined. The attributes that could increase the gelled product´s acceptance were identified: aroma and taste of honey. The product had significant amounts of honey (sweetener) and adequate sensory properties that make it attractive for the formulation of commercial gels using polysaccharides. This novel product has the potential to expand the use of honey and polysaccharides in the food industry.