Textural Stability of Lepidium perfoliatum Seed Gum against Freezing Processes

Increased frozen food consumptions have led to increased demands for gums with unique properties. Gums are used for the stabilization of food products that undergo various processing. Due to increases in gum use in food industries and high prices of commercial gums, use of native gums has been considered important recently. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess effects of freezing treatments on textural characteristics of Lepidium perfoliatum seed and xanthan gums at various concentrations.

Effects of freezing process at -18 ºC for 24 h were investigated on textural characteristics of Lepidium perfoliatum seed gum at various concentrations of 0.50, 1.00, 1.50 and 2.00% )w/w) and results were compared with those a commercial xanthan gum.

Results showed that hardness, stickiness, consistency and adhesiveness increased significantly by increasing the concentration of gums from 0.50 to 2% (p > 0.05). Values of the textural parameters were higher in xanthan gum than Lepidium perfoliatum seed gum. Freezing process at low concentrations of gums led to significant increases in textural parameters (p < 0.05). However, textural parameters of gums at higher concentrations decreased after freezing treatments. Xanthan gum included a greater L* value than that Lepidium perfoliatum seed gum did. Therefore, appearance of xanthan gum was brighter than appearance of Lepidium perfoliatum seed gum. Furthermore, freezing process did not include significant effects on a* and b* values of gums.

Due to the high similarity of Lepidium perfoliatum seed gum with xanthan gum in terms of stability (high stability), the former gum can be considered as an appropriate stabilizing agent under freezing conditions. These findings suggest that Lepidium perfoliatum seed gum, as a stabilizer, can be used in formulation of frozen foods to provide specific functionality, minimize negative effects of freezing and decrease production costs