Effect of water content on the glass transition, caking and stickiness of protein hydrolysates

Abstract

Protein hydrolysates play an important function in many special dietary foods, e.g. for infants, those with genetic disorders, athletes and geriatrics. Because of hydrolysis these materials are more hygroscopic than the initial intact protein. In this reset the moisture sorption isotherms and the glass transition profile as a function of moisture content for fish protein hydrolysates (FPH), whey protein hydrolysates (WPH) and casein hydrolysates (CH) were determined. The properties of each hydrolysates were related to molecular weight with a lower glass transition curve at lower molecular weight, the Tg was proportional to degree of hydrolysis. These hydrolysates may be as important as sugars in lowering Tg. Fish moisture sorption was related to hydrolysis. CH was less susceptible to caking than FPH and WPH.