抄録
The sol of konjac mannan (KM) was gelatinized with an alkali such as sodium carbonate. The turbidity and the viscosity of sol, the infrared spectra of KM, and the consumption of alkali by KM in the course of gelation were measured. Then, experiments were undertaken in order to elucidate the major role of alkalies in gelation and the mechanism of gel-formation. It was presumed that the alkalies eliminate a moiety containing C=O group (probably an organic acid) from KM, and then the molecules of KM which lost the moiety crystallize in part through a linkage such as hydrogen bonding, and a network structure is formed.
