Study of rheology and friction factor of natural food hydrocolloid gels

Abstract

Differences in the rheology and friction factor of natural food hydrocolloid gels were studied in this paper. The practical importance of the knowledge of the rheological parameters is quite evident. The experimental data were carried out using a concentric cylinder rotary viscometer. It was prepared 1% hydrocolloid solutions (hydrogels). Hydrogels of the natural gums extracted from the seeds of the plants and plant tubers have been used - carob gum (from the seeds of Ceratonia siliqua), guar gum (from the seeds of Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) and tara gum (from the seeds of Caesalpinia spinosa). Rheological behaviour has non-Newtonian pseudoplastic character and the flow curves were fitted using the Otswald - de Waele (power law) model and Herschel - Bulkley model. The hydrogels exhibit shear thinning behaviour. The meaning of the rheological parameters on the friction factors during flow of hydrocolloid gels in the tube has been shown. Information on time dependent behaviour of tested liquids has been also obtained. Time dependent curves were fitted by the Gaussian model. Preliminary results obtained for a constant shear rate showed the thixotropic and time-dependent behaviour of the hydrogels. These parameters can be especially used in much software dealing with a numerical simulation of the flow problems.