Gelation of β‐Lactoglobulin: Effects of Sodium Chloride and Calcium Chloride on the Rheological and Structural Properties of Gels

Abstract

ABSTRACT Heating β‐lactoglobulin solutions at pH 8 causes an increase in viscosity, but self‐supporting gels were not formed unless salts, such as sodium chloride or calcium chloride, were added. The rheological and textural properties and gel strength were markedly affected by salt concentration. Thus, gels of maximum compressive strength were obtained with sodium chloride and calcium chloride at concentrations of 200 and 10mM, respectively. Increasing the concentration of sodium chloride resulted in the formation of soft gels which released water easily. Calcium chloride strengthened β‐lactoglobulin gels by forming crossbridges. However, above 10 mM it tended to enhance coagulation rather than gelation. This was confirmed by election microscopy of the gel matrix.