Structure and function of hybrid carrageenans

Hybrid carrageenans gain more and more attention in the scientific world as well as in industries. The relation between molecular structure and functional properties is a major research theme within the area of carrageenan research. This review paper summarises the recent progress in the structural and functional properties of two types of hybrid carrageenans: κ/ι-carrageenans and ν/ι-carrageenans. κ/ι-hybrids extracted from a wide ranges of species showed a linear relationship between their functionality and the κ/ι-ratio. Higher κ-contents resulted in higher gel strengths. For the ν/ι-hybrids, made by alkaline treatment, a maximum in the gel strength was observed at low fractions of ν-units. The coil-to-helix transition underlying these properties was analysed by a random block model for different repeating units.