Rheological and physical properties of derivitized whey protein isolate powders

Pregelatinized starch is employed in many food applications due to the instantaneous nature of thickening and stability imparted by modification. Proteins, however, have been excluded as a viscosifying agent due to requisite thermal treatments required to create structure. Whey protein isolate gels were produced while manipulating heating time, pH, and mineral type/content, producing a variety of gel types/networks. Gels were frozen, freeze-dried, and ground into a powder. Once reconstituted in deionized water, gel powders were evaluated based on solubility studies, rotational viscometry, and electrophoresis. The protein powder exhibiting the largest apparent viscosity, highest degree of hydrolysis, and greatest solubility was selected for pH and temperature stability analyses and small amplitude oscillatory rheology. This processing technique manipulates WPI into a product capable of forming cold-set weak gel structures suitable for thickening over a wide range of temperature and pH food systems.