STUDIES ON PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF FOOD GE LS MODIFIED BY PARTICULATE FILLERS .2. EFFECTS OF ADDITION OF POWDERED CHITIN ON PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF WHEY-PROTEIN GELS

Effects on the physical properties of whey protein gels of the additio n of powdered chitin was investigated. The results obtained are as fol lows, 1. With increasing the protein concentration,the values of mecha nical parameters corresponding to hardness, closeness to elastic body and elasticity of whey protein gel increased but those to fracturabili ty of the gel unchanged. 2. The values of mechanical parameters corres ponding to hardness of the whey protein gel decreased by the addition of powdered chitin, which differs from the change induced by the incre ase of protein concentration. However, the Value of mechanical paramet er corresponding to closeness to elastic body increased and that to fr acturability unchanged by chitin addition, which resemble the results in the case of increasing protein concentration. 3. Effect of the chit in addition on the values of mechanical parameters corresponding to el asticity of the gel was different between 30 min- and 60 min-heated ge ls:the tendency to decrease occurred in the former and the increase in the latter. The results obtained here demonstrated that the change in gel hardness of whey protein by the addition of powdered chitin is qu ite different from that of egg white protein. It was suggested that ef fects of the addition of powdered chitin on the gel properties are dif ferent depending on the kind of proteins and gelation conditions.