Conformational changes and some functional characteristics of gelatin esterified with fatty acid

This study investigated the effects of attachment of fatty acid chains to gelatin molecules on their conformation and some functional properties in order to determine the effectiveness of this procedure for improving the emulsifying properties of gelatin. The esterification conferred upon the gelatin molecules a folded configuration resulting in a lambda(max) of fluorescence emission shift to lower wavelengths and decreases in solubility, intrinsic viscosity, and gelling ability. In contrast, surface hydrophobicity increased with extent of esterification, and the esterified derivatives exhibited higher emulsion stabilities. These results indicated that the oligomeric structure and functional attributes of the gelatin were altered with the modification.