Effect of thermal and freezing treatments on rheological, textural and color properties of basil seed gum.

Hydrocolloids are macromolecular carbohydrates that are added to many foodstuffs to achieve the appropriate rheological and textural properties and to prevent synersis or to increase the viscosity and stability of foodstuffs. In this study the effect of different thermal treatments (25, 50, 75, 100 and 121°C for 20 min) and freezing treatments (-18 and -25 °C for 24 h) on rheological, textural and color change of basil seed gum as a new source of hydrocolloids was investigated. The results demonstrated that basil seed gum solutions had desirable rheological and textural properties. Power law model well described non-newtonian pseudoplastic behavior of basil seed gum in all conditions. When the hydrocolloid samples were heated or frozen, increase in viscosity of basil seed gum solutions was observed. Hardness, adhesiveness and consistency of basil seed gel for control sample were 13.5 g, 16.79, 52.59 g.s, respectively and all increased after thermal treatments. The results revealed that basil seed gum has the excellent ability to stand against heat treatment and the highest hardness, adhesiveness and consistency value of gum gels were observed in sample treated at 121 °C for 20 min. In addition this gum gel has the good ability to stand against freeze-thaw treatment and its textural properties improved after freezing. Therefore, basil seed gum can be employed as a textural and rheological modifier in formulation of foods exposed to thermal and freezing temperatures.