Effect of surface character of filler particles on rheology of heat-set whey protein emulsion gels

Small-deformation and large-deformation rheological properties of heat-set whey protein emulsion gels containing active and inactive filler particles have been investigated using a controlled stress rheometer. The results suggest that the contributions to the gel network are quite different for pure protein gels and emulsion gels having similar storage moduli. An emulsion gel containing inactive filler has a larger phase angle due to the energy dissipation at the ‘slippery’ droplet surface under the influence of the applied shear stress. The large-deformation rheology of the heat-set protein gel has behaviour intermediate between that for an entropic biopolymer gel and that for a particle gel. Emulsion gels containing active or inactive fillers behave more like typical particle gel systems.