Impact of high-soluble modified wheat gluten as an emulsifier on the structure and quality of ice cream

In our previous work, wheat gluten (WG) has been modified by pH-shifting treatment combined with heat to improve solubility and emulsibility. In this study, the high-soluble modified wheat gluten (M-WG) as an emulsifier in ice cream was investigated. Compared to monoglycerides (MG) and soy protein isolates (SPI), the ice cream emulsion prepared with M-WG exhibited smaller droplet sizes and a more consistent dispersion. And the M-WG exhibited same emulsifying capabilities as MG and SPI from perspectives of viscosity, storage modulus, and loss modulus of ice cream products. Additionally, the overrun and meltdown rates of ice cream made with M-WG were better than MG and SPI. Furthermore, ice cream made with M-WG exhibited good sensory characteristics (color and hardness). It suggested that the high-soluble M-WG has an excellent potential to be applied in ice cream as an emulsifier, thereby broadening the novel natural alternatives of chemical emulsifiers derived from plant-based proteins.