Alginates,
serving as hydrocolloids in the food and pharma industries,
form particles at pH < 4.5 with positively charged proteins, such
as β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg). Alginates are linear anionic
polysaccharides composed of 1,4-linked β-d-mannuronate
(M) and α-l-guluronate (G) residues. The impact of
M and G contents and pH is investigated to correlate with the formation
and size of β-Lg alginate complexes under relevant ionic strength.
It is concluded, using three alginates of M/G ratios 0.6, 1.1, and
1.8 and similar molecular mass, that β-Lg binding capacity is
higher at pH 4.0 than at pH 2.65 and for high M content. By contrast,
the largest particles are obtained at pH 2.65 and with high G content.
At pH 4.0 and 2.65, the stoichiometry was 28–48 and 3–10
β-Lg molecules bound per alginate, respectively, increasing
with higher M content. The findings will contribute to the design
of formation of the desired alginate–protein particles in the
acidic pH range.