STUDIES ON PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF FOOD GELS MODIFIED BY PARTICULATE FILLERS .2. EFFECTS OF ADDITION OF POWDERED CHITIN ON PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF WHEY-PROTEIN GELS

Effects on the physical properties of whey protein gels of the addition of powdered chitin was investigated. The results obtained are as follows, 1. With increasing the protein concentration,the values of mechanical parameters corresponding to hardness, closeness to elastic body and elasticity of whey protein gel increased but those to fracturability of the gel unchanged. 2. The values of mechanical parameters corresponding to hardness of the whey protein gel decreased by the addition of powdered chitin, which differs from the change induced by the increase of protein concentration. However, the Value of mechanical parameter corresponding to closeness to elastic body increased and that to fracturability unchanged by chitin addition, which resemble the results in the case of increasing protein concentration. 3. Effect of the chitin addition on the values of mechanical parameters corresponding to elasticity of the gel was different between 30 min- and 60 min-heated gels:the tendency to decrease occurred in the former and the increase in the latter. The results obtained here demonstrated that the change in gel hardness of whey protein by the addition of powdered chitin is quite different from that of egg white protein. It was suggested that effects of the addition of powdered chitin on the gel properties are different depending on the kind of proteins and gelation conditions.