ARS | Publication request: Simple rheology of mixed proteins

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: February 9, 2008
Publication Date: May 18, 2008
Citation: Onwulata, C.I., Tunick, M.H., Tomasula, P.M. 2008. Simple rheology of mixed proteins [abstract].

Technical Abstract: Mixing different proteins to form strong gel networks for food applications may create synergistic increases in viscoelasticity that cannot be achieved with a single protein. In this study, small amplitude oscillatory shear analyses were used to investigate the rheology of calcium caseinate (CC), egg albumin (EA), fish protein isolate (FPI), soy protein isolate (SPI), wheat gluten (WG), and whey protein isolate (WPI) in the presence of wheat flour and glycerol. Blends contained one, two, or three of these proteins. Temperature sweeps revealed that most blends displayed a peak tan delta value (the ratio of viscous modulus to elastic modulus) as the specimen aggregated. Blends containing SPI produced high elastic modulus values and those containing FPI gave low values, indicating strong and weak gels, respectively. CC lowered the temperature at which the elastic modulus and viscous modulus of the blend started to increase sharply. Some blends gave results that indicated synergistic effects. One-protein blends containing EA and WG exhibited their highest tan delta values at 53 and 51 deg C, respectively, but the blend of the two had its largest tan delta at 38 deg C. The peak tan delta value for blends containing SPI and CC decreased sharply through the transition region, but increased to a peak in the other specimens except SPI alone. These results provide evidence that products formulated by blending proteins that act synergistically can be used to create a desired increased viscoelastic effect.