Formation and stability of milk foam

Introduction

Consumers like aerated foods or foams. A problem of these products is that many are unstable and suffer from creaming, drainage, coalescence and/or disproportionation. Various studies have been performed on the formation and stability of dairy foams. Results indicated that the foam properties of milk are strongly influenced by its composition as well as by the processing conditions during production. However, the role of surface and bulk components in multicomponent food systems on the formation and stability of foams is still not well understood.

Within this project we will increase the insights in the formation and stability of dairy foams and hope to find the key ingredients and process parameters that control it. We will focus on the role of casein (micelles). Furthermore, we will develop in collaboration with colleague researchers a physical model that quantifies the relation between the properties of the ingredients and those of the foam. This will allow industry to improve the production of dairy aerated products of constant high quality.

Research topics

• Influence of casein micelle size on thin film stability and foaming properties of casein micelle dispersion
• Foaming properties of cross-linked casein micelle dispersion
  

Techniques

• Characterization (Nano sizer, HPLC, Dumas)
  
• Foaming properties (Foamscan)
• Thin film stability (Sheludko capillary cell, microscopy)
  
• Imaging techniques (SEM, TEM)