Properties of biopolymers produced by transglutaminase treatment of whey protein isolate and gelatin

Byproduct utilization is an important consideration in the development of sustainable processes. Whey protein isolate (WPI), a byproduct of the cheese industry, and gelatin, a byproduct of the leather industry, were reacted individually and in blends with microbial transglutaminase (mTGase) at pH 7.5 and 45 °C. When a WPI (10% w/w) solution was treated with mTGase (10 U/g) under reducing conditions, the viscosity increased four-fold and the storage modulus (G′) from 0 to 300 Pa over 20 h. Similar treatment of dilute gelatin solutions (0.5–3%) had little effect. Addition of gelatin to 10% WPI caused a synergistic increase in both viscosity and G′, with the formation of gels at concentrations greater than 1.5% added gelatin. These results suggest that new biopolymers, with improved functionality, could be developed by mTGase treatment of protein blends containing small amounts of gelatin with the less expensive whey protein.