Rheological and textural characterization of lentil protein isolate- κ-carrageenan emulsion gels: Insights into...

The study aims to create an emulsion gel using a cold method with Lentil Protein Isolate (LPI) to enhance microstructure. It will explore how κ-carrageenan (κC) and different lentil protein concentrations impact emulsion gel formation induced by Glucono delta-lactone (GDL). Using the Burger model, the data on creep recovery were analyzed and revealed that both the immediate and delayed elastic components of the model rose proportionally with higher LPI and кC concentrations. The results of the frequency sweep assessment revealed a significant enhancement in the power-law constants (k' and k'') values with the addition of κC, as they increased from 150 and 120 Pa in the 7%LPI blend to 4290 and 967 Pa in the 9 %LPI + 0.2 % κc sample, respectively. Dynamic evaluation of the tissues showed that the storage (G') and loss (G") moduli of emulsion gels increased in the presence of кC and increased amount of LPI (9 %). The hardness of the emulsion gels composed of 9 % LPI and 0.2 % κC increased to 458.66 g as the concentrations of κC and LPI were raised to 0.2 % and 9 %, respectively. By an increase in the concentration of кC and LPI, the structure of the obtained gels became denser and Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) parameters (hardness, cohesiveness, springiness and chewability) were increased. In addition, the кC was observed to reinforce the gel network structure in the lentil protein isolate- кC gel system. This research offers significant insights into the process of coagulant-related protein gelation and the potential use of LPI emulsion-based gels with enhanced properties in the food sector.