Effect of barley β-glucan concentration on the microstructural and mechanical behaviour of acid-set sodium caseinate gels

The microstructural and mechanical properties of acid-set mixtures of sodium caseinate (2% w/w)/barley β-glucans (2–6% w/w) were studied in an effort to evaluate the effect of these polysaccharides on the texture of fermented dairy products. The phase behavior of the blends was investigated using small deformation dynamic oscillation, differential scanning calorimetry, optical microscopy, and polymer blending-laws analysis. The work aimed to assess the topology of the phase separated mixture, the water holding capacity of its polymeric phases, and the thermal stability of the constituent networks. The mixed network properties were dominated by the protein component at low concentrations of β-glucans (≤3% w/w). In the concentrated regime, the system seems to have a bicontinuous topology governed by the mechanical strength and thermal stability of the β-glucan network structure. Results could assist in optimising the use of sodium caseinate and β-glucans as functional or as bioactive ingredients in acid-set dairy product

Effect of Glyceryl Monoolein Addition on the Foaming Properties and Stability of Whipped Oleogels

Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) oil was successfully combined with Glyceryl Monostearate (GMS) and Glyceryl Monoolein (GMO) to form oleogels that were subsequently whipped to form stable oleofoams. The co-crystallization of GMS and GMO at a ratio of 20:1, 20:2.5, and 20:5 within MCT oil was studied through Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X-ray Diffraction analysis (XRD), rheological analysis, Fluorescence Recovery after Photobleaching (FRAP), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and polarized microscopy. The addition of 5% GMO resulted in the production of more stable oleogels in terms of crystal structure and higher peak melting point, rendering this formulation suitable for pharmaceutical applications that are intended to be used internally and those that require stability at temperatures close to 40 °C. All formulations were whipped to form oleofoams that were evaluated for their storage stability for prolonged period at different temperatures. The results show that oleofoams containing 5% MGO retained their foam characteristics even after 3 months of storage under different temperature conditions