Influence of process parameters on formation of fibrous materials from dense calcium caseinate dispersions and fat

Concentrated calcium caseinate (Ca-caseinate) in the presence of palm fat forms hierarchical fibrous materials after enzymatic crosslinking under well-defined deformation. The presence of fat induces the protein fibers to be arranged in bundles of ∼200 fibers, separated by layers that are concentrated in fat. We investigated the effect of shear rate; shear time and protein concentration on the formation of fibrous materials in the two-phase protein–fat system. The ratio between crosslinking rate and shear rate determined whether a fibrous structure was formed or not, indicating a subtle interplay between material properties and process conditions. Prolonged shear time influenced the transition from fibrous materials into damaged structures accompanied by syneresis. The experimental results are concluded in a generalized diagram, which provides an initial explanation of the structural transitions induced by solidification and shear.