Using crosslinking enzymes to improve textural and other properties of food

This chapter explains that food texture plays a major role in food product quality. The rheological properties of a food are determined by the number of weak and strong physical interactions and the permanent covalent bonds, crosslinks, present in the food matrix. Covalent crosslinks make the major contribution to the firmness of food matrices. Crosslinks can be introduced to a food matrix by chemical, enzymatic, and physical means as reviewed by Munindar P. Singh (1991) and Scott N. Gerrard (2002). Enzymatic crosslinking of food biopolymers is an attractive option owing to the specificity of enzymes and mild reaction conditions. Both food proteins and carbohydrates can be crosslinked by enzymes. Sensory perception of texture plays an important role in different types of foods. The significance of food texture has further been increased with the trend toward low fat products and “natural” additive-free products. Enzymes provide specific and natural means for tailoring food structure. By the use of enzymes, it will be possible to transform inherently available food components into functional ingredients during food processing and manufacturing. Enzymatic crosslinking in the food matrix can occur via proteins or certain carbohydrates. The type of enzyme used affects the chemistry of the crosslink formed and subsequently the structure of the biopolymer network of the food product.