ENZYMATIC CROSS-LINKING AS A TOOL FOR FOOD COLLOID RHEOLOGY CONTROL AND INTERFACIAL STABILIZATION

Differences in food texture arise from the various ways in which const ituent polymer molecules and particles can be joined together to form different kinds of colloidal structures. The formation of covalent cro sslinks is an important mechanism that is associated with the enhancem ent of solid-like character in gelled and emulsified systems. This art icle describes how treatment with microbial transglutaminase can be us ed to introduce crosslinks, and thus control the rheology and stabilit y of protein-based food colloids.