Authors: Lawrence A. Arogundade

Food Hydrocolloids, Volume 20, Issue 6, August 2006, Pages 831-838

Abstract

Some selected functional properties of Tef (Eragostics tef) protein concentrate (ETPC) were examined under different chemical environment (NaCl, CaCO₃ NaHCO₃ and CH₃COOH).

The least gelation concentration (LGC) was 6%. Increasing the concentration of NaCl from 0.05 to 1.0 M, lowered the LGC to 2%. It was improved to 4% in saturated NaHCO₃ but saturated solution of CaCO₃ and CH₃COOH in the concentration range of 0.05–1.5 M had no effect on LGC. The ETPC foaming capacity (FC) improved at least by two fold in NaCl within the concentration range of 0.05–0.5 M and in saturated solution of NaHCO₃. Saturated solution of CaCO₃ improved the FC only slightly while 0.05–1.5 M CH₃COOH decreased the FC. The water hydration capacity (WHC) was 185.3% which decreased to 149.3% in NaCl as the solution concentration increased from 0.05 to 1.0 M. WHC in 0.05–1.5 M CH₃COOH was in the range of 150.0–163.3%. In saturated solutions of CaCO₃ and NaHCO₃, WHC were 175 and 148% respectively.

Keywords: Tef; Gelation; Foaming; Hydration; Functional Characterization.