What You Need to Know
During heating, the crystalline regions of starch or other polysaccharides melt, allowing the chains to disentangle and absorb water. The swollen chains then interact—via hydrogen bonding, ionic cross‑linking, or double‑helical associations—to create a three‑dimensional network. Upon cooling, the network locks in place, giving rise to a gel whose firmness depends on concentration, temperature, pH, and ionic strength.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Gelation via polymer chain swelling and network formation