Viscoelastic Properties of Myofibrillar Protein-Polysaccharide Composite Gels

The influence of polysaccharide gums on thermal gelation of chicken salt-soluble protein (SSP) was studied by determining changes in dynamic: viscoelasticity and aggregation of the protein-gum composites in 0.6M NaCl at pH 6.0. Xanthan gum increased the storage modulus (G') of SSP up to 45°C, but decreased Cl'and inhibited the sol – gel transition at > 45°C. Alginate generally hindered SSP gelation. SSP-gum composite gels cooled to 23°C were weaker but held more water than gels made from SSP alone. Neither gum altered the SSP aggregation pattern, nor the SSP absorption spectra. The inhibition of SSP gelation by both gums appeared mainly due to physical entanglement rather than chemical interactions.