The effect of potassium salt on the structural characteristics of gellan gum gel

Gellan gum in aqueous solution undergoes gelation by adding the metal salts. The cross-linking domain structure in various concentrations of potassium salt was observed by small angle X-ray scattering. The results were analyzed by means of molecular models of associated double helices. It found that the gelation yielded the mono-layer flat particles constructed by side-by-side aggregation of double helices at lower salt concentration and then they grew up to the multi-layer aggregates by a further addition of salt.