Abstract
Casein (αS1, αS2, β, κ) is the major protein fraction in milk and, together with heat denatured whey proteins, responsible for gel network formation induced by acidification. Rheological measurements during gelation typically reveal a maximum storage modulus (G') at a pH close to the isoelectric point (pI) of casein (~4.6). With further decreasing pH gel stiffness decreases because of increased electrostatic repulsion, which is referred to as overacidification. In this study we investigated the effect of casein cross-linking with microbial transglutaminase on gel structure weakening induced by acidification to pH below the pI. Although enzymatic cross-linking increased the maximum stiffness (G' MAX ) of casein gels the reduction of G' during overacidification, expressed as ratio of the plateau value (G' FINAL ) to G' MAX , was more pronounced. Almost no soluble protein was detected in the serum of gels from cross-linked casein, whereas considerable amounts of αS- and κ-casein were released from reference gels below the pI. This suggests that covalent cross-linking of casein retains charged molecules within the gel network and therefore causes a higher reduction of protein-protein interactions because of higher electrostatic repulsion. Furthermore, higher amounts of uncross-linked β-casein, which was the only casein type not found in the serum, resulted in higher G' FINAL to G' MAX ratios, underlining the important contribution of β-casein to acid gel formation and prevention of gel structure weakening.
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Acknowledgements
Financial support was received from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Bonn, Germany) under the grant number RO3454/5-1. Microbial transglutaminase was kindly provided by Ajinomoto Foods Europe SAS (Paris, France), and glucono-δ-lactone by Kampffmeyer Nachf. GmbH (Ratzeburg, Germany).
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Raak, N., Rohm, H. & Jaros, D. Enzymatic Cross-Linking of Casein Facilitates Gel Structure Weakening Induced by Overacidification. Food Biophysics 12, 261–268 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11483-017-9483-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11483-017-9483-6