Textural properties of legume protein isolate and polysaccharide gels

The influence of legume proteins from lupin, pea and fababean on the formation of gels prepared by heat treatment in the absence or presence of xanthan gum, locust bean gum and NaCl was investigated. The resulting fracture and texture properties of gels not only are associated with the heating process used to form the gel but also depend on the conformational aspects of xanthan-locust bean gum in admixture with legume proteins, which after 10 days of aging reinforce the system. The fracture and textural properties are explained in terms of the effect of the protein-polysaccharide molecular structure and physicochemical conditions applied in the gel system during the gel preparation and measurements. (c) 2006 Society of Chemical Industry.