STABILITY AND TEXTURE OF PROTEIN FOAMS - A STUDY BY VIDEO IMAGE-ANALYSIS

The foaming properties of four protein solutions were analysed. A vide o image camera was coupled to an instrument designed to study foam for mation and stability. The textures of images were characterized by a m athematical procedure derived from the two-dimensional Haar transform (HT). Similarities and differences in foam textures were assessed by p rincipal component analysis. Thus, foams were compared on the basis of their volumes, drainage rates and textural characteristics. It was po ssible to distinguish the different protein foams according to their t extures and to differentiate between stable and unstable foams. Some r elationships were noted between foam densities, drainage rates and tex tural appearances. Nevertheless, the texture of foams could not be ded uced directly from their densities. Textural analysis is complementary to other methods of foam analysis.