Transglutaminase cross-linking to enhance elastic properties of soy protein hydrogels with intercalated montmorillonite nanoclay

To strengthen the network of bio-nanocomposite hydrogels, layered montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclay was intercalated by surface-coating with soy protein (SP) before mixing with 6% w/v SP for cross-linking by microbial transglutaminase (mTGase). Dynamic rheology was performed to study variables of NaCl and mTGase concentrations, with and without 1% w/v MMT. Without mTGase, the highest storage modulus (G′) was observed at 100 mM for samples without...