@conference{
author = "Jovanović, Zorana and Gligorijević, Nikola and Annighöfer, Burkhard and Dudzinski, Daniel and Nikolić, Milan and Pavlović, Vladimir and Lević, Steva and Brûlet, Annie and Assifaoui, Ali and Combet, Sophie and Minić, Simeon",
year = "2024",
abstract = "C-Phycocyanin (C-PC), the natural blue dye and the major protein in Spirulina, has high potential in the food industry due to its vivid colour and bioactive properties. However, low stability limits C-PC application potential, requiring approaches to strengthen its stability. Our study aimed to preserve C-PC by its incorporation into hydrogels formed by combining starch and β-lactoglobulin (BLG) using high-pressure (HP) processing. Notably, thermal treatment resulted in the complete loss of colour derived from C-PC. We performed a comprehensive characterization of the resulting HP gels by rheology measurements, texture profile analysis (TPA), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Different compositions of binary (BLG/C-PC) and ternary (starch/BLG/C-PC) systems were processed under high-pressure (HP) conditions reaching up to 4,500 bar. The C-PC pigment was effectively preserved by mixing BLG and starch with C-PC at pH 7, maintaining concentrations of 180, 5, and 10 mg/mL, respectively. The same concentrations of components were retained in the binary systems. Rheological properties of the gels were determined using a rheometer with plane/plane geometry, and texture analysis was conducted through TPA. These findings enabled the assessment of food gel’s properties, such as hardness, springiness, chewiness, and cohesiveness. The structural characteristics of the gels were determined by SAXS, offering insights into the interactions between C-PC, BLG, and starch after HP processing. Adding C-PC and starch formed solid gels with a larger mesh than the pure BLG gels. SEM scans of the gel surface revealed that all components influenced the overall morphology of gels. Adding starch notably influenced the gels’ visual appearance and mechanical properties, even at low concentrations. Interestingly, the presence of C-PC substantially increases the gel’s solubility in water. Our investigation highlights HP treatment’s superior effectiveness in preserving C-PC compared to high temperature treatment, evidenced by the sustained colour integrity of the C-PC blue chromophore.",
publisher = "International Hellenic University",
journal = "Food Colloids Conference, Using colloid science to find new sustainable solutions in food, Book of Abstracts, 14-18 April 2024, Thessaloniki",
title = "The use of starch and β-lactoglobulin composite hydrogels as frameworks for preserving c-phycocyanin",
pages = "267-267",
url = "https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_cer_7607"
}