Abstract:[Objective] This study aimed to explore the regulatory effects of xanthan gum (XG) on the properties of egg white protein foam-type gel.[Method] The changes of browning intensity, color, textural properties, rheological properties, molecular conformation, and microstructure of the egg white protein foam-type gel supplemented with xanthan gum were determined. [Result] With the increase in mass fraction of xanthan gum, the a* value and browning intensity of the egg white protein foam-type gel increased significantly, while the L* value and b* value decreased significantly. When the mass fraction of xanthan gum was 1.2%, the hardness, resilience, and chewiness of the egg white protein foam-type gel reached the maximum values, which were 109.18 g, 0.16, and 49.04 g, respectively. The addition of xanthan gum significantly increased the elastic modulus (G') and energy storage modulus (G") of the egg white protein foam-type gel, and enhanced the stability and strength of the gel network structure. The molar concentrations of total sulfhydryl group and disulfide bond and the endogenous fluorescence intensity decreased significantly, while the molar concentration of free sulfhydryl group increased significantly. When the mass fraction of xanthan gum was 0.6%~1.2%, the egg white protein foam-type gel formed a smaller and denser network microstructure. [Conclusion] Adding an appropriate amount of xanthan gum can effectively improve the properties and structure of the egg white protein foam-type gel. The findings provide a theoretical basis for innovative research on the processing characteristics of egg white gels.
