Effects of Specific Interaction Altering Reagents on Hardnesses of Succinylated Soy Protein Gel

The changes in gel characteristics of soy protein and succinylated soy protein due to various specific interaction-altering reagents which affect the formation and textural properties of gels, were studied. The reagents were added to 15% soy protein solutions prior to heat treatment. Succinylated soy protein formed harder gel without the addition of reagents. Hardly no gels were formed with urea, indicating that hydrogen bonds significantly contributed to the formation and hardness of the gel and the effects of urea on the hardness of succinylated soy protein gel were more significant. Disulfide bonds were important in the formation of hard gels whether they were succinylated or not, but the contributions of hydrophobic interactions to gel hardness were relatively insignificant. The hardness reducing effects of NaCl and NaSCN were more significant in succinylated soy protein gel. As such, electrostatic interactions were important for succinylated soy protein to form hard gel but not for unmodified soy protein.