Qn. Tang et al., OSCILLATORY RHEOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF PH AND SALTS ON GEL DEVELOPMENT IN HEATED WHEY-PROTEIN CONCENTRATE SOLUTIONS, Journal of Dairy Research, 62(3), 1995, pp. 469-477
The effects of pH and added NaCl or CaCl2 on gel development in heated
whey protein concentrate (WPC) solutions were studied by oscillatory
rheometry using a Bohlin rheometer, and by qualitative visual and tact
ile observations. The storage modulus (G') exhibited maxima at pH valu
es of about 4 and 7, while the phase angle (delta) exhibited minima at
the same pH values. At pH 5.5, which lies within the range of the iso
electric points of the whey proteins, G' was a minimum while delta was
a maximum. At pH 7 and 8 G' increased to a maximum and then decreased
as added ionic strength was increased. At pH 4 G' decreased steadily
but slowly with increasing added ionic strength. The effects of CaCl2
were essentially the same as those of NaCl, but occurred at much lower
added ionic strength. All the results are discussed in physicochemica
l terms. The main conclusions were, firstly, that changes in pH and sa
lt concentration both affected gel development by altering the balance
between attractive and repulsive protein-protein interactions, and se
condly, that the effects of pH, salt concentration and salt type were
interactive. Interaction both partly explains the wide variation in ge
l character and theological properties among commercial WPC and potent
ially provides means of tailoring the gelling behaviour of a WPC so th
at it functions in a desired way in a given food system.