The stability and physical properties of egg white and whey protein foams explained based on microstructure and interfacial properties

作者：Yang Xin; Foegeding E Allen^*

来源：Food Hydrocolloids, 2011, 25(7): 1687-1701.

DOI：10.1016/j.foodhyd.2011.03.008

• Foam
• Confocal microscopic images
• Whey
• Sucrose
• Mathematic model

The goal of this investigation was to determine if physical models, based on micro-scale (bubbles) and nano-scale (interface) properties, can be used to explain the macroscopic foaming properties of egg white protein (EWP) and whey protein isolate (WPI). Foam properties were altered by adding different amounts of sucrose (4.27-63.6 g/100 mL) and microstructures were observed using confocal laser scanning microscopy and bubbles were quantitatively measured using image analysis. Addition of sucrose decreased the initial bubble size, corresponding to higher foam stability and lower air phase fraction. EWP foams were composed of smaller bubbles and lower air phase fractions than WPI foams. Increased sucrose concentration caused a decreased liquid drainage rate due to a higher continuous phase viscosity and smaller bubble sizes. WPI foams had faster rates for liquid drainage and bubble coarsening than EWP foams. The differences were attributed to faster bubble disproportionation in WPI foams, caused by lower interfacial elasticity and lower liquid phase fractions. The experimentally fitted parameters for foam yield stress did not follow universal trends and were protein type dependent. EWP foams had higher yield stress than WPI foams due to smaller bubble sizes and higher interfacial elasticity. The yield stress of WPI foams increased slightly with addition of sucrose and cannot be accounted for based solely on model parameters. It appears that changes in stability of EWP and WPI foams can be explained based on physical models while unaccounted for protein-specific effects remain regarding foam yield stress.

• 出版日期2011-10