In the present work, sodium alginate (SA), low methoxyl pectin (PEC) and kappa-carrageenan (kappa-CAR) were evaluated for their intragastric structuring ability by means of light microscopy and dynamic oscillatory rheology. SA and PEC solutions, their Ca2+ complexed gel analogues as well as their binary blends with ionically or thermally set sheared kappa-CAR gels, were subjected to in vitro orogastric conditions. SA and PEC - Ca2+ complexed sheared gels exerted the highest vulnerability to digestive fluid exposure due to the dialysis of egg-box dimer structures via proton-calcium exchange. Incorporation of SA and PEC systems to kappa-CAR gels prevented the loss of mechanical strength of the gastric gels due to the ability of kappa-CAR to undergo spontaneous gelation in the presence of Na+ and K+ ions. Binary blends of SA and PEC Ca2+ complexed sheared gels with K-CAR-Ca2+ gels exerted a significantly lower mechanical strength loss sensitivity against pH and counterion composition of the gastric fluids. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.