Professor University of Alberta Edmonton, AB, Canada
Abstract: Protein-based microgels are soft colloidal particles that show strong potential to act as future fat replacers to develop novel low-calorie food as a strategy against obesity prevalent. Microgels have attracted interest as functional hydrocolloids, which can be applied to improve emulsion stability and texture, and have the potential to mimic the oral lubrication properties of fat droplets at the fat-oral surface. In our lab, we developed a facile method to fabricate uniform whey protein microgel with controllable size by modulating the protein-polysaccharide interactions. These protein microgels are promising textual modifiers which can work as fillers in the emulsion system to make 30% oil emulsions show similar textural properties to emulsions containing 50% oil. Also, protein microgels can work as an effective bio-lubricant to provide “soft ball-bearing” lubrication performance in-between the contacting surfaces. The microgels showed improved lubrication in both boundary and mixed regimes when compared to human saliva in tribology tests. These results demonstrate that the protein microgel system has the potential for food applications in preparing fat-reduced emulsion-based food formulations with comparable sensory properties to that of full-fat counterparts.