Gelation and Water Binding Properties of Transglutaminase‐treated Skim Milk Powder

Transglutaminase (TGase)‐treated skim milk powder (TG‐SMP) was prepared by freeze‐drying skim milk after TGase treatment (10 U/g milk protein, 40°C for 3 h), followed by TGase inactivation at 85°C for 5 min. TGase modification resulted in significant increases in hardness and water holding capacity (WHC) of heat‐induced gels (10% protein, w/v). A marked increase in storage modulus (G′) of TG‐SMP upon heating suggests that TG‐SMP has a greater gelling ability than control‐SMP (C‐SMP) prepared with predenatured TGase. Acid gels prepared from TG‐SMP had a significantly higher WHC at all solid levels (12%, 14%, and 16%) tested and formed a more elastic network than C‐SMP.