ACCESSING THE PHYSIOCHEMICAL AND FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF FLAXSEED MUCILAGE

The present study aimed to extract the mucilage from flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) (locally cultivated) and studying the physicochemical and functional properties. The extraction of three treatments were conducted under different conditions (temperature, time, pH and mixing ratios of seeds: water). The values of pH, refractive index, specific rotation, Hausner index, compressibility index, swelling index in water for mucilage A were: 6.4, 1.3367, +99.1, 1.05, 3.84 and 2.16, respectively. while those values for mucilage B : 7.2, 1.3358, +86.2, 1.03, 5.22 and 3.58 respectively, and 6.6, 1.3363, +78.4, 1.16, 13.2 and 3.5, respectively for mucilage C. The specific gravity values for mucilage solution (1%), bulk density and tap density for mucilage powders of A, B and C were (1.0087, 0.40, 0.42), (1.0081, 0.53, 0.55) and (1.0083, 0.43, 0.50) g/ m(3), respectively. The maximum absorbency for mucilages A and B appeared at 350 nm, and for mucilage C at 400 nm. And when the three mucilage spectrally planned using technique they gave relatively similar absorbance frequencies. The mucilage A recorded high solubility values and water holding capacity, being 82.4%, 15.94 (g water / g dry mucilage) and 1.38 centipoise, respectively, as compared to other mucilages. The three mucilage samples A, B, C) showed varied oil holding capacity, ranging from (0.41-0.7),(0.38-0.76) and (0.41-0.8) g oil /g dry mucilage, respectively due to the type of oil used. It has been noticed that mucilage A showed a higher emulsification stability as compared to mucilages B and C. This results indicate the ability of using flaxseed mucilage as stabilizer in food industry.