Physicochemical and foam properties of ovalbumin-carboxymethylcellulose mixtures after mild heat treatment: Comparison of electrostatic repulsion and attraction

Abstract

The effects of electrostatic repulsion (pH6.5) and attraction (pH4.6) between biopolymers on the physicochemical and foam properties of ovalbumin (OVA)/carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) mixtures subjected to mild heat treatment (60–75 °C) were comparatively investigated. It was found that electrostatic binding between OVA and CMC at pH 4.6 resulted in an increase in the peak temperature of thermal denaturation (Td) of OVA from 71.3 °C to 74.4 °C, while no significant effect was observed at pH 6.5. Thus, 60 and 65 °C below Td were chosen to further investigate the effects of heating on the degree of thermal aggregation, protein conformation and foam properties of OVA/CMC mixtures. Confocal laser scanning microscopy observations and rheological results indicated that electrostatic binding between OVA and CMC at pH 4.6 significantly reduced the degree of protein thermal aggregation, while on the contrary, electrostatic repulsion between proteins and polysaccharides at pH 6.5 promoted OVA thermal aggregation. Raman spectroscopic characterisation indicated that mild heat treatment mainly led to a change in the microenvironment polarity of OVA tyrosine and tryptophan residues, as well as an increase in the content of random coil in the amide III band irrespective of pH. Moreover, after heating at 65 °C for 20 min, The foaming ability of the OVA/CMC mixtures at pH 6.5 and 4.6 increased by approximately 32% and 36% respectively compared to pure OVA. These findings have a positive value for enhancing the heat sterilisation strength of egg white proteins.