Rheological influence of non-gelling amylopectins on β-lactoglobulin gel structures

Rheology and microstructure of binary mixed gel of rice bran protein-whey: effect of heating rate and whey addition

BACKGROUND

Rice bran protein (RBP) is a valuable plant protein which has unique nutritional and hypoallergenic properties. Whey proteins have wide applications in the food industry, such as in dairy, meat and bakery products.

RESULTS

Whey protein concentrate (WPC), RBP and their mixtures at different ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:5 and 1:10 w/w) were heated from 20 to 90 °C at different heating rates (0.5, 1, 5 and 10 °C min(-1) ). The storage modulus (G') and gelling point (Tgel ) of WPC were higher than those of RBP, indicating the good ability of WPC to develop stiffer networks. By increasing the proportion of WPC in mixed systems, G' was increased and Tgel was reduced. Nevertheless, the elasticity of all binary mixtures was lower than that of WPC alone. Tgel and the final G' of RBP-WPC blends were increased by raising the heating rate. The RBP-WPC mixtures developed more elastic gels than RBP alone at different heating rates. RBP had a fibrillar and lentil-like structure whose fibril assembly had smaller structures than those of WPC.

CONCLUSION

The gelling structure of the mixed gel of WPC-RBP was improved by adding WPC. Indeed, by adding WPC, gels tended to show syneresis and had lower water-holding capacity. Furthermore, the gel structure was produced by adding WPC to the non-gelling RBP, which is compatible with whey and can be applied as a functional food for infants and/or adults. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of temperature and salt concentration on rheological behavior of whey protein isolate–starch mixed dispersions

Extensive studies have been carried out on the effect of temperature and salt concentration on the theological behavior of whey proteins and different starches individually, but not on mixed dispersions of whey protein isolates and starches. In the present studies, the rheological behavior of cross-linked waxy maize starch and whey protein isolate mixed dispersions during heating at 60-85 degrees C was investigated. Further, the effect of CaCl2 (25-100 mM ionic strengths) on the gelatinization of these dispersions was determined. It was found that at a 2:3 ratio and a 3:2 ratio of cross-linked waxy maize starch to whey protein isolate mixed gels form a compatible networkmM concentration the solution viscosity was higher.

Influence of Galactomannans with Different Molecular Weights on the Gelation of Whey Proteins at Neutral pH

The effect of locust bean gum, a galactomannan, with different molecular weights on the microstructure and viscoelastic properties of heat-induced whey protein gels has been studied using confocal laser scanning microscopy and small-deformation rheology. The results obtained clearly showed that differences in the molecular weight of the polysaccharide have a significant influence on the gel microstructure. Homogeneous mixtures and phase-separated systems, with dispersed droplet and bicontinuous morphologies, were observed by changing the polysaccharide/protein ratio and/or the molecular weight. At 11% whey protein, below the gelation threshold of the protein alone, the presence of the nongelling polysaccharide induces gelation to occur. At higher protein concentration, the main effect of the polysaccharide was a re-enforcement of the gel. However, at the higher molecular weight and concentration of the nongelling polymer, the protein network starts to lose elastic perfection, probably due to the formation of bicontinuous structures with lower connectivity.

Effects of amylopectin structure and molecular weight on microstructural and rheological properties of mixed beta-lactoglobulin gels

Nongelling amylopectin fractions from potato and barley have been used to form mixed beta-lactoglobulin gels. The amylopectin fractions were produced by varying the time of alpha-amylase hydrolysis followed by sequential ethanol precipitation. The molecular weights, radius of gyration, chain length distribution, and viscosity of the fractions were established. The mixed gels were analyzed rheologically with dynamic mechanical analysis in shear and microstructurally with light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The result of the gel studies clearly showed that small differences in the molecular weight of amylopectins have a significant influence on the kinetics of protein aggregation and thereby on the gel microstructure and the rheological behavior of the gel. Both an increase in the molecular weight and a higher concentration of amylopectins resulted in a more open protein network structure, with thicker strands of larger and more close-packed beta-lactoglobulin clusters, which showed a larger storage modulus. The transmission electron micrographs revealed that degraded amylopectins were enclosed inside the protein clusters in the mixed gels, whereas nondegraded amylopectin was only found outside the protein clusters. The volume-weighted mean value of the molecular weight of the amylopectins was found to vary between 3.2 x 10(4) and 5.0 x 10(7) Da and the ratio of gyration between 14 and 61 nm. The maximum in chain length distribution was generally somewhat distributed toward longer chain lengths for potato compared to barley, but the differences in chain length distribution were minor compared to those seen in the molecular weight and ratio of gyration between the fractions.