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Phase Separation Behavior of Caseins in Milk Containing Flaxseed Gum and κ-Carrageenan: A Light-Scattering and Ultrasonic Spectroscopy Study

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Abstract

The physico-chemical properties of skim milk containing κ-carrageenan (in the concentration range 0–0.06% w/v), flaxseed gum (in the concentration range 0–0.40% w/v), or a mixture of both polysaccharides were studied using dynamic light scattering, under diluted conditions, as well as in situ, undiluted, using diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS) and ultrasonic spectroscopy. Flaxseed gum causes phase separation in milk mixtures, because of thermodynamic incompatibility between the casein micelles and the polysaccharide chains. Confocal microscopy and ultrasonic spectroscopy showed that while the addition of 0.01% κ-carrageenan was not sufficient to hinder phase separation, when 0.03% was added, the helix–helix interactions between κ-carrageenan molecules were sufficient to form a network and stabilize the system. DWS clearly demonstrated that clusters of casein micelles still form even at very low concentrations of polysaccharides (below the visible phase separation threshold) and that κ-carrageenan hinders visible phase separation by decreasing the mobility of the casein micelles.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge funding support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Ontario Dairy Council/NSERC research chair program as well as the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. We would also like to thank CpKelco (San Diego, CA, USA) for providing research-grade pectin.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada

    Astrid Chappellaz, Marcela Alexander & Milena Corredig

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  1. Astrid Chappellaz
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  2. Marcela Alexander
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  3. Milena Corredig
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Correspondence to Milena Corredig.

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Chappellaz, A., Alexander, M. & Corredig, M. Phase Separation Behavior of Caseins in Milk Containing Flaxseed Gum and κ-Carrageenan: A Light-Scattering and Ultrasonic Spectroscopy Study. Food Biophysics 5, 138–147 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11483-010-9154-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11483-010-9154-3

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