** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** GELATIN IS COMMONLY USED INGREDIENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ICE CREAM, FROZEN DESSERTS AND YOGURT, BECAUSE IT MAINTAINS STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND PROVIDES DESIRABLE MOUTHFEEL. HOWEVER, USE OF GELATIN IN DAIRY PRODUCTS PROHIBITS THEIR CONSUMPTION BY LACTO-VEGETARIAN AND KOSHER POPULATION FOR BEING DERIVED FROM MEAT. REPLACING GELATIN WITH DAIRY INGREDIENTS WOULD CATER NEEDS OF WIDER CONSUMER BASE. BECAUSE OF GEL FORMING ABILITY AT LOW TEMPERATURES (<10OC), MICELLAR CASEIN CONCENTRATES (MCC) CAN POTENTIALLY BE USED AS A REPLACEMENT OF GELATIN IN STRUCTURED DAIRY. ONE OF THE LIMITATIONS WITH USE OF MCC AS STABILIZER IS THAT IT FORMS GELS ONLY AT HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS (>15%) MAKING IT HARD TO ACCOMMODATE WITH SUCH HIGH PROTEIN LEVELS TO THE DAIRY PRODUCTS. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT BY MANIPULATING PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CONDITIONS AND ADDING ASSOCIATIVE BIOPOLYMER, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO REDUCE THE MINIMUM CONCENTRATION NEEDED TO FORM A COLD GEL AND INCREASE THE GEL STRENGTH. FOR ACHIEVING THIS GOAL, WE PROPOSE THREE STRATEGIES; 1. MODIFY GEL FORMING CONDITIONS BY ALTERING PH AND INTRODUCING CALCIUM CHELATING AGENT SUCH AS TRI-SODIUM CITRATE (TSC) AND SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATES (SHMP), 2. ADDITION OF AN ASSOCIATIVE BIOPOLYMER I.E. KAPPA-CARRAGEENAN AND/OR LOW METHOXY (LM) PECTIN; 3. USE OF HIGH INTENSITY ULTRASOUND (HIU) WAVES FOR MANIPULATING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN HYDRATED CASEIN MICELLES AS WELL WITH POLYSACCHARIDE. FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING OF COLD GELLING BEHAVIOR OF MCC WILL HELP DEVELOP NOVEL PLANT AND DAIRY (HYBRID) FOOD MATRICES. FINDINGS FROM THIS WORK WILL HELP US DAIRY AND FOOD INDUSTRY TO DEVELOP DIVERSIFIED AND AFFORDABLE FOOD PRODUCTS TO MEET SPECIFIC DIETARY NEEDS OF GENERAL POPULATION.

Utah State University, Logan UT

Investigators