Elucidation of the thermal aggregation processing of soy protein isolate - dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose cross-linked gel

Yidan Fu; Ran Tian; Jiarui Zhao; Jing Wang; Xiaonan Sui

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.145162

Elucidation of the thermal aggregation processing of soy protein isolate - dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose cross-linked gel

Food Chem. 2025 Jun 13:490:145162. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.145162. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yidan Fu¹, Ran Tian¹, Jiarui Zhao¹, Jing Wang², Xiaonan Sui³

Affiliations

¹ College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
² School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China. Electronic address: wangjing@th.btbu.edu.cn.
³ College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China. Electronic address: xiaonan.sui@neau.edu.cn.

PMID: 40532342
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.145162

Abstract

In this study, soy isolate protein (SPI)-dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose (DCMC) cross-linked gels were prepared by heat treatment at different stages of the gel preparation process. The -NH₂ in SPI reacts with the -CHO in DCMC in a Schiff base reaction to form an imine bond (CN) to achieve crosslinking. The aim of study was to investigate the impact of heat treatment at different stages of the gel preparation process on the mechanical properties, degree of Schiff base reaction, microstructure and rheological properties of cross-linked gels. The results demonstrated that both heat treatment and DCMC could enhance the gelation of SPI. The textural properties of gels were significantly enhanced by heating treatment, resulting in a denser microstructure. Furthermore, heat treatment promotes the degree of Schiff base reaction in gels. In general, it can change the properties of gels by simply altering the heating phase of the gel preparation process.

Keywords: Covalent cross-linking; Dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose; Gel; Schiff base reaction; Soy protein isolate.