Thermal Analysis of Food Proteins

Abstract

Publisher Summary Thermal analysis (TA) is a group of techniques in which a physical property of a substance is measured as function of temperature while the substance is subjected to a controlled temperature program. Most foods have been subjected to some form of heat transfer treatments during harvesting, processing, distribution, and preparation. These treatments can cause significant changes in the physicochemical and functional properties of the major food constituents, thus affecting the quality and acceptability of the products. Thermal analysis encompasses a wide variety of techniques, and only a few are useful for food study. These include differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) or differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetry (TG), thermal mechanical analysis (TMA), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Protein is a major component in many foods and, apart from its nutritional values, contributes to the functional properties of various foods. The use of DSC to study protein conformation and the influence of processing helps to elucidate the mechanisms of protein denaturation, aggregation, and gelation and provides practical guidelines for maximizing protein functionality for specific applications.