| Abstract: | Glucose, ribose, fructose, lactose, fructo‐oligosaccharide (inulin) and a mixture of inulin and fructose were conjugated with caseinate via the Maillard reaction using controlled heating and low water activity conditions in order to improve the functional properties of caseinate for food purposes. Conjugation with ribose and glucose increased the viscosity of caseinate 28‐fold over that of the unmodified caseinate control but also produced the most browning. Glycoconjugates of caseinate–fructose reacted at a substrate ratio of 1:0.2 w/w and 60 °C at 67% relative humidity for 48 h increased the viscosity of caseinate 24‐fold with less browning. At 80% relative humidity the reaction occurred so rapidly that, within 24 h gels containing darkly coloured particulate matter were produced. Incorporation of inulin at 1:1:0.2 w/w/w caseinate/inulin/fructose prevented formation of gels and produced glycoconjugates having 15‐fold the viscosity of unmodified caseinate with minimal browning. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry |
