1012Canola Proteins at the Air−Water Interface
Xenya Vasiu and Vassilis Kontogiorgos*
Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Canada
This study investigated the interfacial behaviour and viscoelastic
properties of proteins at air-water interfaces in the presence or absence of
salt. Pendant drop tensiometry, kinetic modelling, compression isotherms,
Brewster angle microscopy (BAM), and dilatational rheology have been
employed. Salt accelerates protein adsorption at the air-water interface,
but it does not affect diffusion or rearrangement kinetics. The construction
of compression isotherms revealed the formation of irreversible 2D networks,
and BAM imaging showed microstructural faults. The elasticity and
irreversibility of these films were confirmed using dilatational rheology,
where the elastic modulus remained frequency-independent throughout the
experimental window. Protein films were largely unaltered by salt in the
linear viscoelastic range of the interface. However, notable effects were
observed outside the linear viscoelastic range, where salt influenced
mechanical responses, leading to strain-hardened interfaces. This study
links the structural characteristics of canola protein to its
functionalities, suggesting improvements in interfacial properties for
sustainable foods