In its first part, this chapter will present the
basic notions on protein þ polysaccharide
attractive electrostatic interaction, including
recent advancements that have shed light on the
mechanism of protein þ polysaccharide associative
phase separation and the structure of the
separated phases. Subsequently, it will deal
with the current or potential applications in the
food industry to produce either functional
ingredients or for microencapsulation. The aim
of this chapter is to illustrate how fundamental
research can provide the tools to manipulate
and tailor the functionality of protein þ polysaccharide
complexes and coacervates.