Emulsifying activity and emulsion stability of corn gluten meal

Abstract

Abstract Corn gluten meal with good emulsifying activity and emulsion stability may have potential in food uses. Commercial corn gluten meal from various producers had a pH around 4 and showed no emulsifying activity. Reducing the particle size to below 15 µm or increasing the pH to 6.6 (with particle size above 53 µm) did not improve the emulsifying activity. When the particle size was reduced to below 44 µm and the pH was adjusted to 6.6 or above, good emulsifying activity and good emulsion stability could be obtained. The emulsifying activities of corn gluten meals (<44 µm) from four different producers at around pH 8 ranged from 49.3 to 51.5 and the corresponding emulsion stabilities ranged from 39.7 to 49.5. There was no significant variation in emulsifying activity between pH 6.9 and 7.8 when NaOH, LiOH and KOH were used to adjust the pH, but LiOH‐ and KOH‐adjusted meal at around pH 7.8 showed better emulsion stability than NaOH‐adjusted meal. Good emulsifying activity of corn gluten meal could be obtained in NaCl solutions at sufficiently high pH. Published in 2001 for SCI by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.