Peanut Suspension Crosslinking by Means of Microbial Transglutaminase Studied with the Indentation Technique

Abstract

This work deals with the ability to get a three dimensional network with a peanut suspension crosslinked with a microbial transglutaminase (mTG) enzyme. Suspensions (made of solid particles suspended in water) composed of grinded white peanut mixed with water (dry extract = 40%) were incubated with_mTG (0.3% w/w) after alteration of the ionic strength. The ionic strengths were adjusted with NaCl on a range from Ic = 0 mol/L to Ic = 1.2 mol/L. The strength of the assembled structure was then assessed using penetrometry in order to evaluate the impact of the ionic strength on the gel strength of the newly‐formed complex. The scope of gel strengths obtained fluctuates between a minimum of 0.25 N for the condition Ic = 0 mol/L and a maximum of 0.80 N for the condition Ic = 0.8 mol/L. It has also been found that other parameters such as the temperature and the time of incubation have a lesser impact on the final strength of the product. The end‐product of this enzymatic catalysis discloses chemical gel‐like properties, such as irreversible liquid–solid transition with a visco‐elastico‐plastic response to indentation assessment.