Abstract
Kefiran was produced from kefir grains, on a semi-industrial scale, using UHT skimmed milk as a raw material. The conformational characteristics of the polysaccharide were assessed by means of a series of techniques such as capillary viscometry, size-exclusion chromatography coupled to multi-angle laser light scattering, static light scattering, dynamic light scattering and zeta-potential measurements. The results indicated that kefiran behaved as a weakly charged polysaccharide with a having, possibly, a random coil conformation in aqueous solution. The weight average molecular weight was 6.71 × 105 Da, whereas the mean square radius of gyration was 43.2 nm. The effect of a series of solutes in various concentrations such as salts, organic acids, KOH, sugars, urea, ethanol, Na-caseinate and whey protein concentrates on the flow behavior of kefiran in aqueous dilute solutions was assessed by hydrodynamic, zeta potential and dynamic light scattering measurements. The results are discussed in the light of conformational changes observed.
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