Influence of pH on mechanical relaxations in high solids LM-pectin preparations

The influence of pH on the mechanical relaxation of LM-pectin in the presence of co-solute has been investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry, ζ-potential measurements and small deformation dynamic oscillation in shear. pH was found to affect the conformational properties of the polyelectrolyte altering its structural behavior. Cooling scans in the vicinity of the glass transition region revealed a remarkable change in the viscoelastic functions as the polyelectrolyte rearranges from extended (neutral pH) to compact conformations (acidic pH). This conformational rearrangement was experimentally observed to result in early vitrification at neutral pH values where dissociation of galacturonic acid residues takes place. Time-temperature superposition of the mechanical shift factors and theoretical modeling utilizing WLF kinetics confirmed the accelerated kinetics of glass transition in the extended pectin conformation at neutral pH. Determination of the relaxation spectra of the samples using spectral analysis of the master curves revealed that the relaxation of macromolecules occurs within ∼ 0.1s regardless of the solvent pH.

Physicochemical and functional characteristics of lentil starch

The physicochemical properties of lentil starch were measured and linked up with its functional properties and compared with those of corn and potato starches. The amylose content of lentil starch was the highest among these starches. The crystallinity and gelatinization enthalpy of lentil starch were the lowest among these starches. The high amylose: amylopectin ratio in lentil starch resulted into low crystallinity and gelatinization enthalpy. Gelatinization and pasting temperatures of lentil starch were in between those of corn and potato starches. Lentil starch gels showed the highest storage modulus, gel strength and pasting viscosity than corn and potato starch gels. Peleg's model was able to predict the stress relaxation data of these starches well (R(2)>0.98). The elastic modulus of lentil starch gel was less frequency dependent and higher in magnitude at high temperature (60 °C) than at lower temperature (10 °C). Lentil starch is suitable where higher gel strengthened pasting viscosity are desired.

Definition of the rheological glass transition temperature in association with the concept of iso-free-volume

Small deformation dynamic oscillation was used to develop an index of physical significance for the rationalisation of the mechanical properties of high co-solute/biopolymer systems during vitrification. The index is based on the combined framework of Williams-Landel-Ferry equation with the free volume theory and is called the 'rheological glass transition temperature, T(g)' thus differentiating it from the empirical calorimetric T(g) used in thermal analysis. The rheological T(g) is located at the conjunction of two distinct molecular processes, namely: free-volume effects in the glass transition region and the predictions of the reaction-rate theory in the glassy state. The method of reduced variables was used to shift the mechanical spectra of shear moduli to composite curves. The temperature dependence of shift factors for all materials was identical provided that they were normalised at suitably different reference temperatures, which reflect iso-free-volume states. The treatment makes free volume the overriding parameter governing the mechanical relaxation times during vitrification of high co-solute/biopolymer systems regardless of physicochemical characteristics. We believe that potential applications resulting from this fundamental work are numerous for the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Alpha and beta mechanical dispersions in high sugar/acyl gellan mixtures

The real (G') and imaginary (G") components of the complex modulus have been measured between 0.1 and 100 rad/s in the temperature range of 70--55 degrees C for a mixture of 1% high acyl gellan with 79% glucose syrup, and 79% glucose syrup. The method of reduced variables gave superposed curves of G' and G" as a function of timescale of measurement, which matched the thermal profiles of shear modulus obtained by scanning at the constant rate of 1 degrees C/min. Data of the gellan/co-solute mixture could be analysed in terms of two distinct mechanisms. For the alpha dispersion, G' and G" superposed with the horizontal reduction factor a(T) whose temperature dependence followed an equation of the Williams-Landel-Ferry form. Mechanical spectra of the beta dispersion also superposed with the factor a(T) whose temperature dependence, however, corresponded to a constant energy of activation. Relaxation spectra have been calculated for both dispersions. Those for the alpha mechanism were attributed to the chain backbone motions and the friction coefficient per tetrasaccharide repeat unit in backbone motion was calculated from the extended Rouse theory. When the contribution of the solvent alone was studied, no spectra for the beta dispersion were observed supporting the hypothesis of the dispersion being attributed to the side-chain motions of the acyl groups. The spectra of the beta mechanism were relatively broader than for the alpha dispersion. The relative location of the beta dispersion on the time scale or temperature range was found to be between the alpha dispersion (glass transition region) and the glassy state.

Viscoelastic properties of pectin--co-solute mixtures at iso-free-volume states

Small-deformation oscillatory measurements were performed on pectin-sucrose-glucose syrup systems at a total level of solids of 81%, with the polysaccharide content being fixed at levels of industrial use (1%). The experimental temperature range was between 50 and - 50 degrees C. Analysis of the temperature dependence of viscoelastic processes by the equation of Williams, Landel, and Ferry provides values of fractional free volume for the temperatures covering the glass transition region. The shift factors used in the conversion of mechanical spectra into master curves were normalised at suitably different temperatures so that their temperature dependence becomes coincident. The treatment implies an iso-free-volume state and relates to changes in the monomeric friction coefficient with increasing levels of intermolecular interactions in the mixture. A free-volume related glass transition temperature was defined and manipulated markedly by introducing pectin of variable degrees of esterification to the sucrose-glucose syrup system.

Dynamic oscillation measurements of starch networks at temperatures above 100 degrees C

Small deformation oscillatory studies were performed on wheat flour paste with a starch content of 75.4%. Work focused on temperatures above 100 degrees C in an effort to seek molecular understanding of such high-temperature processes as bakery operations which are characterised by evaporation of water. The moisture content of the sample decreased from about 32% at 100 degrees C to 6.5% at 130 degrees C. Viscoelastic spectra produced a sigmoidal profile with a disproportionate viscous element also seen in the glass transition of semiamorphous synthetic polymers and high sugar/polysaccharide mixtures during cooling. It is argued that the loss of water upon heating reduces the available free volume between neighbouring chain segments, thus generating a high-density thermoplastic melt suspending granule fragments. The configurational rearrangements of the disordered chains contribute mainly to an energy-dissipating process, as observed in the vitrification of cooled high-solids systems. The equation of Williams, Landel, and Ferry was modified with a 'moisture term' in order to describe the temperature function of viscoelasticity.

State diagram of temperature vs date solids obtained from the mature fruit

Mature dates were dried achieving an increase in the level of solids from 70.8% to 92.4% (wet basis). Small deformation dynamic oscillation was employed to identify changes in the viscoelastic properties of dates as a function of solids. Samples were cooled or heated at a constant scan rate of 1 degrees C/min. At high temperatures, e.g., 70 degrees C, the storage and loss modulus (G' and G' ', respectively) remained relatively independent of the time or frequency of observation, thus delineating the plateau zone. Cooling resulted in rapid development of both moduli with G' ' overtaking G'. This is known as the glass transition region and was used to define the rheological T(g). Eventually, the glassy state is reached where the storage modulus becomes dominant once more and approaches values of 10(9.5) Pa. The values of T(g) were used to determine the metastable glass transition curve of mature dates. At lower levels of solids, i.e., between 11.7% and 64%, freezing experiments were employed to identify the equilibrium melting curve of ice. The state diagram yielded a maximally freeze-concentrated solute at 70% solids with the characteristic temperature of glass formation being -50 degrees C. Data on equilibrium and kinetic events were modeled using the Chen and Gordon-Taylor equations yielding the rheological T(g) for date solids at their effective molecular weight.

First- and second-approximation calculations in the relaxation function of high-sugar/polysaccharide systems

The distribution function of Maxwellian relaxation times (phi) was derived from the small- deformation dynamic properties of high-sugar/agarose, /deacylated gellan and /high-methoxy pectin mixtures. First-approximation calculations of phi employed the time derivative of the experimentally measured storage and viscous moduli, with the two traces converging at the theoretically predicted slope of - 0.5. Second-approximation calculations were based on phi, as derived by the first approximation, being a simple power function of relaxation times (tau(-m)). The slope m was measured at various points and used to derive correction factors for shifting the relaxation function to the second approximation. Thus, values of phi calculated from G' and G" were brought into satisfactory agreement, particularly in the recorded portion of the glass transition region. Once the function phi is accurately determined, it can be readily used for calculations of other viscoelastic properties.

Viscous solutions, networks and the glass transition in high sugar galactomannan and kappa-carrageenan mixtures

Small-deformation rotational oscillation was used to examine the effect of small additions of galactomannan and kappa-carrageenan on the vitrification of glucose syrup at a total level of solids of 83%. The method of reduced variables allowed construction of composite curves covering the glass transition and glassy state (from 10(5) to 10(9.5) Pa) over a wide frequency range (up to 15 orders of magnitude). The combined WLF/free volume framework was employed to determine the rheological glass transition temperature (T(g)), fractional free volume and thermal expansion coefficient of the samples. It was found that the WLF-predicted glass transition temperature matched the cross over of experimental modulus traces in the passage from the glass transition (GG') to the glassy state (GG"). This coincides with the mechanistic transformation from free volume effects to the Arrhenius-type phenomena, thus ascribing physical significance to the rheological T(g). The T(g) value of 83% glucose syrup at a scan rate of 2 degrees C min(-1) was -25.3 degrees C. Replacing, for example, 1% glucose syrup with guar gum shifted the T(g) of the mixture to -19.7 degrees C. Network formation via the K(+)-supported junction zones of the kappa-carrageenan chains further increased the T(g) to about -1 degrees C. It appears that the low rates of relaxation processes and diffusion mobility in the presence of a polysaccharide network accelerate the collapse of the free volume thus inducing vitrification of the high sugar/polysaccharide mixture at high temperatures.

Separation of the variables of time and temperature in the mechanical properties of high sugar/polysaccharide mixtures

Experimental results from previous studies were analyzed in order to separate the dynamic mechanical properties of high sugar/polysaccharide mixtures into a basic function of temperature alone and a basic function of time alone. In doing so, the energy of vitrification as derived from the Williams, Landel, and Ferry equation, and the distribution function of relaxation times were used. It was found that the temperature course of vitrification depends on the nature of the polymer and the composition of the mixture. Thus, at the same level of cosolute, the glass transition temperature of the mixture is determined by the structural behavior of the macromolecule and, it appears, that cation-mediated associations--for example, of kappa-carrageenan--are more efficient "vitrifiers" than the neutral associations of agarose. Regardless of the glass transition temperature, vitrification requires five times the activation energy of elementary flow in the melt or of the viscoelastic relaxation in the rubbery state. In the region of long time scales of measurement, the time function is determined by the molecular weight distribution and the ability of the polysaccharide to form a three-dimensional network. In the area of short times, free volume effects leading to vitrification are similar for all materials.

Molecular order versus vitrification in high-sugar blends of gelatin and kappa-carrageenan

The understanding of synthetic polymer viscoelasticity was applied to the small deformation properties of high-sugar gelatin and kappa-carrageenan mixtures. The glass transition zone in sugar/gelatin mixtures exhibited a dominant liquid-like response, which was followed by the method of reduced variables. The glass transition temperature predicted by the WLF/free volume approach coincided with the crossover of storage and loss modulus at the onset of the glassy state. The viscoelastic spectrum was resolved into a basic function of temperature and a basic function of time, thus rationalizing their effect on the vitrification of the mixture. Vitrification was only one in a plethora of viscoelastic properties. Manipulation of the composition of the mixture generated a continuous gelatin matrix or a viscous sugar phase suspending a dispersion of ice crystals. Besides the small-molecule crystallinity, vitrification can be halted by ordered macromolecular helices observed in the kappa-carrageenan/potassium system. Thus, the solid-like component of the sugar/kappa-carrageenan network remained prevalent over the predicted frequency window. The WLF equation was unable to follow the progress of viscoelastic functions, which were better described by an energetic barrier of rotation from one state to another.