Ultrasonic generation of aerated gelatin gels stabilized by whey protein β-lactoglobulin

Abstract Dispersed air provides an additional phase within gel-type foods may accommodate new textural and functional demands. This paper addresses the effect of using whey protein β-lactoglobulin (β-lg), with different degrees of denaturation, as stabilizing agent in the formation of aerated gelatin gels using ultrasound as a novel method to incorporate bubbles in model foods. The heat denaturation, aggregate formation and surface properties of β-lg dispersions were studied at three pHs (6.0, 6.4 and 6.8) and at a heating temperature of 80 °C. β-Lg dispersions with four degrees of denaturation (0%, 20%, 40% and 60%) were used to stabilize bubbles generated by high intensity ultrasound in aerated gelatin gels. Experimental methods to determine gas hold-up, bubble size distributions and fracture properties of aerated gelatin gels stabilized by β-lg (AG), as well as control gels (CG), aerated gelatin gels without β-lg, are presented. Gas hold-up of AG peaked at a degree of denaturation of 40% when AG were fabricated using β-lg heated at pH 6.4 and 6.8, whereas using β-lg heated at pH 6.0 gas hold-up decreased constantly with increasing degree of denaturation. The use of β-lg as surfactant at pH 6.8 and 6.4 reduced the bubble sizes of AG compared with CG, but no effect was observed at pH 6.0. AG showed values of stress and strain at fracture lower than CG (5.86 kPa and 0.62), probably because of the lower gas hold-up of CG. However, both type of aerated gels were weaker and less ductile than non-aerated gels, with a decrease in stress and strain at fracture for AG between 56–71% and 33–43%, respectively. This study shows that the presence of bubbles in gel-based food products results in unique rheological properties conferred by the additional gaseous phase.