title: Whey protein aerogel as blended with cellulose crystalline particles or loaded with fish oil.
abstract: Whey protein hydrogels blended with nanocrystalline and microcrystalline cellulose particles (NCC and MCC, respectively) were prepared, followed by freeze-drying, to produce aerogels. NCC blending increased the Young's modulus, and elastic character, of the protein aerogel. Aerogels were microporous and mesoporous materials, as characterized by the pores sizing 1.2 nm and 12.2 nm, respectively. Blending with NCC decreased the count of both microporous and mesoporous-classified pores at the sub-100 nm pore size range investigated. In contrast, MCC blending augmented the specific surface area and pores volume of the aerogel. It also increased moisture sorption affinity of aerogel. The feasibility of conveying hydrophobic nutraceuticals by aerogels was evaluated through loading fish oil into the non-blended aerogel. Oil loading altered its microstructure, corresponding to a peak displacement in Fourier-transform infra-red spectra, which was ascribed to increased hydrophobic interactions. Surface coating of aerogel with zein decreased the oxidation susceptibility of the loaded oil during subsequent storage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science & Engineering, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UTCAN), University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Maede
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science & Engineering, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UTCAN), University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran; Center of Excellence for Application of Modern Technologies for Producing Functional Foods and Drinks (FFDCE), UTCAN, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran; Interdisciplinary Research Department of Agricultural and Natural Resources Nanotechnology (IRDANN), UTCAN, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran. Electronic address: a.madadlou@ut.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Ashkan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Madadlou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Akbar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Saboury
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D005612:Freeze Drying; D005782:Gels; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D000067796:Whey; D000067816:Whey Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005395:Fish Oils; D005782:Gels; D020100:Hydrogels; D000067816:Whey Proteins; D002482:Cellulose; C109691:microcrystalline cellulose
keywords: Cellulose nanocrystal; Fish oil; Protein aerogel; Texture