Formulation, physicochemical and rehydration properties of whey protein powders containing nanoparticulated whey protein structures

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dc.contributor.advisorO'Mahony, James
dc.contributor.advisorCrowley, Shane
dc.contributor.authorGuralnick, Jacob R.
dc.date.accessioned2025-02-05T10:14:00Z
dc.date.available2025-02-05T10:14:00Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.date.submitted2024
dc.description.abstractWhey proteins have important nutritional and functional properties, and are available commercially in multiple formats, ranging from protein concentrates to isolates. Diversification and enhancement of the functional properties of whey proteins is an ongoing area of research, which is driven by consumer demands, industrial requirements for innovation and regulatory considerations. This thesis examines novel whey protein structures (NWPS) and is comprised of four chapters, with the first chapter examining the future of food formulation and the role of whey proteins, specifically in the context of clean label and sustainable food systems. As a result, many food ingredients are being eliminated from formulations to meet these new demands, necessitating new ingredients to fill this void. NWPS represent an innovative way to utilise whey proteins by altering the secondary or tertiary structures of proteins with thermal treatment and shear to form new structures. Structures such as aggregates, microparticles and fibrils provide tailored emulsion, gelling and foaming properties compared to traditional and can find application in emerging food segments. Whey proteins processed with more recently-developed technologies, such as foam mat drying and 3D printing, could benefit from the inclusion of NWPS to enhance the functionalities of these rapidly evolving technologies by providing more a higher degree of tailoring. In the second chapter, nanoparticulation of whey proteins was achieved by subjecting reconstituted whey protein isolate (WPI¬C) solutions (10% protein, pH 7.0) to heat treatment at 90°C for 30 s with no added calcium (WPIH) or with 2.5 mM added calcium (WPIHCa). Spray-dried powders were prepared from unheated WPI (WPIUH) or nanoparticulated (WPIH and WPIHca) solutions, which were analysed and compared with a control sample (WPIC). WPIC, WPIUH, WPIH and WPIHCa solutions had whey protein denaturation levels of 0.0, 3.2, 64.4 and 74.4%, respectively. Computerised tomography scanning showed that 52.6, 84.0, 74.5 and 41.9% of WPIC, WPIUH, WPIH and WPIHCa powder particles had diameter ≤30 µm. WPIHCa and WPIH powders were cohesive, while WPIC and WPIUH powders were easy flowing, with marked differences in microstructure observed between WPIH and WPIHCa. There were no measured differences in wall friction, bulk density, or colour and, in addition, the rehydration performance was analysed and compared with original WPIC powder. The third chapter examined the rehydration properties of the powders produced in chapter two. Powder surface nanostructure and elemental composition were investigated using atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, followed by dynamic visualisation of wetting and dissolution characteristics using environmental scanning electron microscopy. The powder surface of WPIUH and WPIC generally displayed smooth surfaces, while WPIH and WPIHCa had micro-wrinkles with more significant deposition of nitrogen and calcium. WPIH¬ and WPIHCa exhibited lower wettability than WPIUH and WPIC during microscopic observation, while the solubility of these powders was broadly similar. This study demonstrated that heat- and mineral-induced aggregation of whey proteins before drying increased aggregate size, altered powder surface properties, and displayed poor wetting characteristics. The final chapter puts the results and conclusion of this thesis in context with the literature review. This thesis developed a fundamental understanding of WPI powder obtained from nanoparticulated whey proteins, which could be applied for developing functional whey-based ingredients in food formulation.en
dc.description.statusNot peer revieweden
dc.description.versionAccepted Versionen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.citationGuralnick, J. R. 2024. Formulation, physicochemical and rehydration properties of whey protein powders containing nanoparticulated whey protein structures. MRes Thesis, University College Cork.
dc.identifier.endpage182
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/16967
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherUniversity College Corken
dc.rights© 2024, Jacob R. Guralnick.
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.subjectWhey protein
dc.subjectPowders
dc.subjectNovel structures
dc.subjectNovel whey protein structures
dc.subjectNanoparticulation
dc.titleFormulation, physicochemical and rehydration properties of whey protein powders containing nanoparticulated whey protein structuresen
dc.typeMasters thesis (Research)en
dc.type.qualificationlevelMastersen
dc.type.qualificationnameMSc - Master of Scienceen
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