RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF HEAT-INDUCED GELS FROM EGG-ALBUMIN SUBJECTED TO FREEZE-THAW

A back-extrusion device was used to measure gel strength, elasticity, and viscosity index of heat-induced gels of albumen maintained at 80-degrees-C from 5 to 30 min. These rheological properties were the same in albumen refrigerated 24 hr at 3-degrees-C as those observed in gels from fresh albumen suspensions. Short term frozen storage (-10-degrees-C for 24 hr) significantly reduced each gel parameter compared with fresh (control) albumen gels. Incorporation of sucrose into fresh albumen protected rheological properties of the heat-induced gels from deleterious effects of freezing the albumen suspensions. Addition of 5 or 10% NaCl to albumen reduced or eliminated the ability of albumen to form heat-induced gels.