Rheological measurements have been carried out in a controlled stress and strain rheometer on a whey proteins concentrate (WPC) at 10% (w/w) in water and at different pH conditions (pH 4.0, 4.6 and 7.0). The heat-induced gelation process was investigated, as well as the viscoelastic properties of the gels formed at 80°C and those formed after decreasing the temperature to 20°C. The results indicated that, in the presence of significant contents of salts from the whey sample, the concentration used in the experiments was sufficient for the formation of macroscopic gels, and that the pH exerts an important role on the formation and on the structural nature of the gels.
rheology; whey proteins concentrate; gelation; functional properties
