Clc. Esteves et al., Mathematical modelling of the formation of rennet-induced gels by plant coagulants and chymosin, J DAIRY RES, 68(3), 2001, pp. 499-510
Rheological properties of reconstituted skim milk coagulated with plant coa
gulants Cynara cardunculus L., Cynara humilis L. and chymosin was monitored
by dynamic low amplitude oscillation. There are no published reports on th
e modelling of the gelation behaviour of milk by plant coagulants. Three ma
thematical models. Scott Blair, Douillard and Carlson, were fitted to the s
torage modulus (G') as function of time curves. For all coagulants, Scott B
lair model was the most efficient in modelling the gelation process, and ga
ve both the smallest residuals and standard error of residuals, Se (P<0.000
1). Douillard model gave the poorest fit and in particular it was not able
to predict the initial part of the gelation curves. Carlson model had an in
termediate behaviour and, in the case of chymosin, it gave results that wer
e quite comparable to Scott Blair model. The parameters of the Scott Blair
model were different for plant coagulants and chymosin. Chymosin had the lo
ngest rate constant (<tau>) and the time shift coefficient (t(s)) was also
different between vegetable coagulants and chymosin (P<0.0005). These resul
ts are in agreement with the overall trends for gelation profiles obtained
for vegetable coagulants and chymosin. In the beginning of gelation both pl
ant coagulants produced gels With slightly higher G' values than chymosin,
but after longer incubation times chymosin gels had higher G' values. It wa
s concluded that the Scott Blair model was the best equation to follow the
gelation of milk induced by both plant coagulants as well as chymosin. Mode
lling is an important and useful method for comparing the gelation process
in gels formed by different ty es of coagulants.