Influence of adding salt on the salt tolerance of Mesona Blumes gum and its molecular chain stiffness

It's necessary to investigate the sensitivity of Mesona Blume gum(MBG) to salt for storing and processing MBG under the salt solution. Huggins' curves of MBG in different ionic strength of NaCl, KCl, MgCl₂ and CaCl₂ solutions were plotted. Also S(stiffness parameter) and B(chain stiffness) values of MBG molecular chain in the four ionic solutions were calculated respectively. Results show that the salt tolerance order of MBG in such four ionic solutions is K⁺>Na⁺>Mg⁺⁺>Ca⁺⁺, from strong to weak. The molecular chain conformation order of MBG from flexible to rigid is K⁺>Na⁺>Mg⁺⁺>Ca⁺⁺, which was suggested that MBG would be suitable to store and process under KCl solution. After comparing B(chain stiffness) value of MBG with that of other polysaccharides in NaCl solution, it is concluded that the molecular chain conformation of MBG is more rigid than that of sodium alginate, but is more flexible than that of xanthan gum, which is indicated that MBG would be more suitable to store and process in NaCl solution than xanthan gum.