Incorporation of snail meat particles in gellan gum fluid gels: Stability against sedimentation and rheological behavior

Snail meat, despite its nutritional value and popularity in some countries, is still underutilized due to its slimy texture. Snail meat powder could be an alternative way to exploit this source of protein. In the present study, the effect of incorporating snail meat powder without the mucus (SMWM) into the matrix of a fluid gel of gellan gum (GG) was studied in terms of SMWM particles stability against sedimentation and gels rheological features, at pH 4.5 and 7.8. All gels were stable against sedimentation after storage, except those with SMWM at pH 7.8 in the presence of NaCl, attributed to deacetylation of GG during gel formation. Τhe particles were larger at pH 7.8 than those at pH 4.5, whilst the presence of NaCl resulted in smaller particles. The presence of SMWM increased the final viscosity of the GG gel at pH 4.5 upon cooling. The transition temperature at pH 4.5 was higher in that case compared to GG gel. The presence of NaCl had a profound effect on the GG rheological behavior when SMWM particles were present regardless the pH or the concentration. A 3D network was developed according to G′ predominating values over the G″, but the narrow differences indicated its delicate nature. All gels, except that at pH 7.8 with SMWM, demonstrated a typical shear thinning behavior of a non-Newtonian fluid. Overall, the stabilization of SMWM particles in the network of GG fluid gel is promising, especially at pH 4.5 and in the presence of 0.25% NaCl.