ABSTRACT
Proteins are the organic compounds naturally found in animals (e.g., milk and meat) and plants (e.g., wheat, soy, and beans).
The primary functional properties of proteins in food processing can be listed as:
1. Foam formation 2. Gelation 3. Dough formation 4. Flavor development 5. Viscosity control 6. Water binding 7. Color formation
Egg foams when whisked, but overwhisking collapses the structure. Gelatinbased jellies will not set if they are made with kiwi, but blanching the fruit solves that problem. Egg turns white when cooked, but overcooking makes it rubbery. Meat gets softer when marinated, but different marinades are used for different meat cuts-and, so on.
