Development and characterization of cold-set soy protein isolate gels filled with solid lipid particles stabilized with different surfactants

Abstract

It is a constant search of food industry for innovative methods and technologies to obtain products with better nutritional and functional properties. In this context, micro and nano-encapsulation systems such as solid lipid particles appear as interesting tools for the application of bioactive lipophilic functional such as beta-carotene, quercetin, and curcumin in mostly polar food matrix. While application of solid lipid particles is an alternative of interest, a lot of control and knowledge of the conditions of production and incorporation of these systems in foods is necessary to ensure the integrity of the encapsulated bioactive, as well as shelf life and satisfactory sensory characteristics of product. In this context, rising interest in the study of gels loaded with emulsion consisting of droplets or lipid particles entrapped in gelified matrices, since the information about the rheological and structural characteristics of these systems can be used as analytical tools to obtain of fundamental knowledge about the sensory characteristics of food in which they are applied. The soy protein isolate (SPI) is a widely applied in food industry ingredients capable of forming gels. The functional properties of this compound depends on the integrity and characteristics of its main components: glycine and ²-conglycinin. For this reason, although the gelation methods by thermal induction is commonly applied gelation IPS low temperature or atmosphere becomes interesting for reducing severe structural changes and, consequently, loss of quality of the final product caused by the heat treatment excessive. In addition to the protein composition and method of production, the presence of polysaccharides such as locust bean gum, can contribute to stabilization of protein structure and improve the functional properties of RLS. In this context, this IC project aims the production and characterization of different formulations of solid lipid particles of palm stearin stabilized with different surfactants, and later, the incorporation of these systems in gels of protein soy isolate, either alone or in together with locust bean gum, obtained cold. The student shall, in principle, the stability of the various solid lipid particle formulations, monitoring visual appearance, mean particle size and zeta potential, and then use the most stable formulations PLS for production and rheological characterization of gels loaded. This application of IC will have as the goal also assist a PhD project at the Laboratory of Colloids and Macromolecules Functionality / FZEA / USP, which has as main objective the production and characterization of mixed biopolymers gels obtained cold loaded with PLS stabilized with different surfactants