Modification of Whey Protein Concentrate to Simulate Whippability and Gelation of Egg White

Abstract

Mapping simplex optimization (MSO) was applied to find the conditions for modifying whey protein concentrate (WPC) for maximum overrun (OR) and gel strength (GS) values. The largest OR value obtained from WPC was 183% (pH 2.0; 10% WPC; cysteine, 1.0% of protein; pepsin, 2.5% of protein; 35°C incubation for 52min, then 41°C heating for 5min) compared to 67-83% for raw egg white and 176% for spray dried egg white. The highest GS value obtained from WPC of 1.6 Newton (N) was 10.6N (pH 6.7; 1% WPC; sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP, 74% of protein); 56°C for 2min, then precipitated and washed at pH 3.8 and 20°C) compared to 2.3N and 4.2N for raw and spray dried egg whites, respectively. Maximization of a combined parameter of OR and GS was carried out by applying MSO of pepsin treatment with up to 0.9% cysteine to the SHMP treated WPC with the highest GS, the OR + GS values being 117% + 3.4N. When 25 parts and 75 parts of 10% treated WPC with OR of 147% or 183%, and GS of 10.6N, respectively, were mixed, the resulting mixture gave a OR + GS value of (94- 108%) + (3.6-4.2N).