Hybrid aerogels were created from sage seed gum-zein hydrogels with pomegranate anthocyanin using an ethanol-induced method, varying the gum-to-protein ratios (GPR) (1:0, 2:1, 5:1, and 7:1) and total polymer concentrations (TPC) (1 %, 1.25 %, and 1.5 % w/w). Circular dichroism spectroscopy confirmed that the secondary structure of zein remained stable at pH 5. Higher gum-to-zein ratios and TPC improved viscosity, hardness, and adhesion force, with the lowest syneresis (0.25 %) at the 7:1 ratio. Frequency sweep analysis indicated a higher storage modulus than loss modulus, suggesting solid-like behavior, while temperature sweep tests confirmed the thermal stability of the three-dimensional network. Hybrid hydrogels were chosen for aerogel production (SG2Z1, SG5Z1, and SG7Z1). The highest anthocyanin concentration was found in the SG2Z1 due to its hydrophobicity. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis revealed that SG7Z1 exhibited the highest porosity (98.19 %). Microscopic images confirmed a lamellar microstructure in the SG2Z1. The SG5Z1 showed the highest hardness (223.5 g), adhesive force (6 g), resilience (0.09), and fracturability (102 g). FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of hydrogen and electrostatic interactions among the polymers. Increasing the gum-to-protein ratio from 2 to 7 enhanced crystallinity in the aerogels\\\\\\\' amorphous structure. Additionally, the porous structure of SG7Z1 reduced conductivity and increased its thermal stability (389.17 °C). All the aerogels demonstrated maximum hygroscopicity (approximately 55 %) in the first day. This research opens a new perspective for developing sage seed gum-zein hybrid aerogels with diverse applications, achieved by analyzing their thermal, structural, and rheological properties, hygroscopicity, and molecular interactions.

Keywords