Effect of the modified high methoxyl pectin on the stability of the fermented milk beverage

Stability of milk drinks could be improved by adding high methoxyl pectin. In this work, effect of the modified high methoxyl pectin (MHMP) on the fermented milk beverage (FMB) was investigated by the characteristics of adsorption, viscosity, rheological properties, particle size, zeta-potential (ζ-potential), microstructure, and phase behavior. The low concentration of MHMP (<0.2%, w/v) and final pH (<4.0) might easily cause the instability among the particles inducing from the bridging flocculation. The FMB system obviously had a good stability as the adding of 0.4% MHMP. Meanwhile, the particle size had a slight downward trend with decreasing the value of pH. The increase of MHMP concentration could increase the properties of viscosity and ζ-potential. However, the ζ-potential of the system had a decreasing trend by reducing the pH of the FMB with the same concentration of MHMP. The microstructure of the FMB was thick and dense compared with the sample without MHMP. As the concentration of MHMP was above 0.4%, the FMB system presented the uniform dispersion and only slight stratification water occurred for the phase behavior. Besides, it was also indicated that most part of MHMP was not adsorbed onto the casein micelles but was involved in a network with MHMP/casein complexes in the FMB.