Comparing rheological, tribological and sensory properties of microfibrillated cellulose dispersions and xanthan gum solutions

Annelies E Blok,Dieuwerke P Bolhuis,Heleen V.M Kibbelaar,Daniel Bonn,Krassimir P Velikov,Markus Stieger

doi:10.1016/j.foodhyd.2021.107052

Annelies E Blok, Dieuwerke P Bolhuis + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2021.107052

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Abstract

Utilisation of plant waste materials contributes to sustainable food production and allows preparation of functional ingredients from natural bio-materials. Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) from plant waste materials such as citrus peels has been suggested to have potential as “clean label” thickener. This study compared rheological (shear and extensional rheology, hysteresis, yield stress), tribological and sensory properties of MFC dispersions (0.2–2.0 wt%) to xanthan gum (XG) solutions (0.04–4.3 wt%) and linked sensory characteristics to instrumental properties. Concentrations of MFC and XG were chosen so that shear viscosities of MFC dispersions and XG solutions were similar over a large range of shear rates. XG had higher extensional viscosity at high deformation rates than MFC. XG had higher yield stress than MFC at similar shear viscosity. Yield stress increased linearly with increasing concentrations for XG, while it increased exponentially for MFC. Seventy-three consumers evaluated the appearance, flavour, and mouthfeel of all samples using the Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) method. Sensory differences between MFC and XG were generally larger at higher concentrations. MFC dispersions were less transparent and had more intense cardboard flavour than XG solutions of comparable shear viscosity. At high thickener concentrations, XG solutions were perceived as glossier, stickier, slimier and more mouthcoating than MFC dispersions of similar shear viscosity. Sticky, slimy and mouthcoating perception were correlated with extensional viscosity at higher deformation rates. We conclude that MFC can thicken foods similar to XG while avoiding undesired texture sensations such as mouthcoating, sliminess and stickiness. The flavour and dispersibility of MFC need to be improved further before it can be applied as thickener in foods.

Highlights

A large variety of thickening agents is used in foods to increase vis cosity, as a stabiliser or to improve texture and mouthfeel perception
At low thickener concentrations (MFC-1/2/3 and Xanthan gum (XG)-1/2/3) high shear viscosities (10-1000 s− 1) of Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) dispersions and XG solutions were similar, whereas small differences are observed at low shear viscosity (1-10 s− 1) which might be due to flow instabilities
Just before the break-up of the XG solution filaments, the viscoelastic behaviour of XG becomes evident by the formation of thin elastic threads that are usually observed for flexible polymers (Deblais, Velikov, & Bonn, 2018)

Summary

Introduction

A large variety of thickening agents is used in foods to increase vis cosity, as a stabiliser or to improve texture and mouthfeel perception. XG is a water-soluble, natural biopolymer produced by the bacteria Xanthomonas campestris, that can thicken foods already at low concentration (García-Ochoa et al, 2000). Liquids thickened with XG have been described as adhesive (Ong, Steele, & Duizer, 2018), slimy (Gossinger et al, 2018) and sticky (Yamagata, Izumi, Egashira, Miyamoto, & Kayashita, 2012). Sliminess and stickiness are generally disliked sensory attributes in liquid foods (Pellegrino & Luckett, 2020; Saluja & Stevenson, 2019), which calls for the use of alternative thickeners

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