Comparative study of denaturation of whey protein isolate (WPI) in convective air drying and isothermal heat treatment processes

The extent and nature of denaturation of whey protein isolate (WPI) in convective air drying environments was measured and analysed using single droplet drying. A custom-built, single droplet drying instrument was used for this purpose. Single droplets having 5±0.1μl volume (initial droplet diameter 1.5±0.1mm) containing 10% (w/v) WPI were dried at air temperatures of 45, 65 and 80°C for 600s at constant air velocity of 0.5m/s. The extent and nature of denaturation of WPI in isothermal heat treatment processes was measured at 65 and 80°C for 600s and compared with those obtained from convective air drying. The extent of denaturation of WPI in a high hydrostatic pressure environment (600MPa for 600s) was also determined. The results showed that at the end of 600s of convective drying at 65°C the denaturation of WPI was 68.3%, while it was only 10.8% during isothermal heat treatment at the same medium temperature. When the medium temperature was maintained at 80°C, the denaturation loss of WPI was 90.0% and 68.7% during isothermal heat treatment and convective drying, respectively. The bovine serum albumin (BSA) fraction of WPI was found to be more stable in the convective drying conditions than β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin, especially at longer drying times. The extent of denaturation of WPI in convective air drying (65 and 80°C) and isotheral heat treatment (80°C) for 600s was found to be higher than its denaturation in a high hydrostatic pressure environment at ambient temperature (600MPa for 600s).