Fig 1.
The states of β-Glucan (OG) gels prepared with varying concentrations under different pressures.
(A) The states of β-Glucan (OG) gels. The solution state designated with a white rectangle, the gel state designated with a yellow rectangle, "-" means no gel; "+" means that the soft gel with coarser and less-compacted apparent; "++" means glossier and smoother gel; "+++" means that the gel with much smoother and more compact. (B) The photograph of β-Glucan (OG) gels with varying concentrations under 400MPa. B1-B5, total concentrations from 11% (w/v) to 15%(w/v).
Fig 2.
The strain sweep curves (G′ and G″) of β-glucan (OG) prepared with different concentrations at different pressures.
Fig 3.
The frequency sweep curves (G′ and G″) of β-glucan mixed gels prepared at different pressure with varying total concentrations and ratios.
(A) Total concentration of 8% under 500MPa. (B) Total concentration of 15% under 200MPa. (C) Total concentration of 12% under 400MPa. (D) Total concentration of 10% under 500MPa. (E) Total concentration of 15% under 400MPa. (F) Total concentration of 12% under 500MPa.
Fig 4.
Textural property of the β-glucan mixed gels prepared at different pressure with varying total concentrations and ratios.
(A) The hardness of the β-glucan mixed gels. (B) The cohesiveness of the β-glucan mixed gels. (C) The springiness of the β-glucan mixed gels. (D) the chewiness of the β-glucan mixed gels. Different superscript letters indicate significant differences in the same graph (p < 0.05).
Fig 5.
FESEM images of the β-glucan (mixed) gel prepared at different pressure with varying total concentrations and ratios.
(A) 12%-0.1MPa, OG:LOG = 0:100. (B) 15%-200 MPa, OG:LOG = 50:50. (C) 12%-400MPa, OG:LOG = 50:50. (D) 15%-400MPa, OG:LOG = 50:50. (E) 12%-500MPa, OG:LOG = 50:50. (F) 12%-0.1MPa, OG:LOG = 100:0. The red arrows represent the holes.
Fig 6.
The turbidity and particle size of the β-glucan mixed solutions with different concentrations and ratios under different pressures.
(A) The average size of the β-glucan mixed solutions. (B) The turbidity of the β-glucan mixed solutions. Different superscript letters indicate significant differences in the same graph (p < 0.05).
Fig 7.
The effects of NaCl, urea and propylene glycol on hardness and springiness of the β-glucan mixed gels.
(A) The hardness of the β-glucan mixed gels. (B) The springiness of the β-glucan mixed gels. (C) The G′ value of the β-glucan mixed gels. (D) The tan δ value of the β-glucan mixed gels. Different superscript letters indicate significant differences in the same graph (p < 0.05).
Fig 8.
The possible formation mechanism of mixed gel between LOG and OG.
(A) The FTIR spectroscopy of the β-glucan mixed gels. (B) The possible formation mechanism of the mixed gel.