Paper Number
PF11 

Session
Applied Rheology for Pharmaceuticals, Food and Consumer Products

Title
The ‘pot’ thickens drop by drop

Presentation Date and Time
October 13, 2022 (Thursday) 10:35

Track / Room
Track 2 / Mayfair

Authors (Click on name to view author profile)

  1. Sharma, Vivek (University of Illinois Chicago, Department of Chemical Engineering)
  2. Jimenez, Leidy N. (University of Illinois at Chicago, Chemical Engineering)
  3. Martinez, Carina (University of Illinois Chicago, Department of Chemical Engineering)
  4. Hassan, Lena (University of Illinois Chicago, Department of Chemical Engineering)
  5. Nikolova, Nadia (University of Illinois at Chicago, Chemical Engineering)
  6. Xu, Chenxian (University of Illinois Chicago, Department of Chemical Engineering)
  7. Suresh, Karthika (University of Illinois at Chicago, Chemical Engineering)
  8. Dinic, Jelena (Argonne National Laboratory, Materials Science Division and Center for Molecular Engineer)
  9. Boehm, Michael W. (Motif FoodWorks, Inc.)
  10. Baier, Stefan K. (Motif FoodWorks, Inc.)

Author and Affiliation Lines (in printed abstract book)
Vivek Sharma1, Leidy N. Jimenez1, Carina Martinez1, Lena Hassan1, Nadia Nikolova1, Chenxian Xu1, Karthika Suresh1, Jelena Dinic2, Michael W. Boehm3 and Stefan K. Baier4
1Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL; 2Materials Science Division and Center for Molecular Engineer, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439; 3Motif FoodWorks, Inc., Boston, MA; 4Motif FoodWorks, Inc., Boston, MA

Speaker / Presenter 
Sharma, Vivek

Keywords
experimental methods; theoretical methods; additive manufacturing; bio-fluids; biomaterials; consumer products; emulsions; food rheology; interfacial rheology; polymer solutions; rheometry techniques

Text of Abstract
Interfacial and rheological properties of key ingredients including proteins and polysaccharides influence production and processing of various foods, as well as the consumer perception and bioprocessing that begin with every bite. Often protein-based foams, emulsions, suspensions, and pastes contain polysaccharides that act as binders, thickeners, gelling agents or rheology modifiers, and influence shelf-life, rheology, processability as well as control over fiber, fat, salt, calorie count, texture, and mouth-feel. Stream-wise velocity gradients associated with extensional flows spontaneously arise during extrusion, calendaring, coating, dispensing, bubble growth or collapse as well as consumption including swallowing and suction via straws. Even though shear rheology response is fairly well characterized and utilized in food industry, elucidating, measuring and harnessing the extensional rheology response have remained longstanding challenges. As strong extensional flows can lead to unraveling of both polymer chains and unfolding of proteins, quantitative and careful analysis of the interplay between conformational changes and flows fields are required for optimizing the ingredients as well as processing conditions. In this contribution, we address the characterization challenges for specific case of food gum thickeners by using dripping-onto-substrate (DoS) rheometry protocols that we developed that rely on analysis of capillary-driven thinning and break-up of liquid necks created by releasing a finite volume of fluid onto a substrate. We show that adding glycerol or changing salt concentration can be used for tuning the pinch-off dynamics, extensional rheology response, and processability. Finally, we outline the characterization and processing challenges for foams, emulsions and pastes containing thickeners, by considering the influence of amphiphilic surfactants or proteins that can not only change interfacial properties, but also form complexes with the dispersed macromolecules.