Biophysics & Molecular Engineering of Foods
Plant-based Meat, Egg, & Diary Alternatives. Milk. Mayo. Food Gums as Thickeners
Sponsored research & collaborations: Motif Foodworks, Kraft Foods.
Ph.D. Students: Lena Hassan and Nadia Nikolova are studying plant-based dairy and egg alternatives for applications in foams and emulsions. Somayeh Sepahvand studies how the rheology of food gums as thickeners influences the stringiness of multicomponent foods. UG researchers include Karim Al Zahabi,
Alumni: Jelena Dinic (Ph.D. 2018), Leidy Nallely Jimenez (Ph.D. 2020), and Carina Martinez (Ph.D. 2022) characterized and analyzed the rheology of several polysaccharide solutions elucidating “thickening the pot” strategies and sensitivity to salt and solvent choices. Subinur Ishat Kemal (formerly Subinuer Yilixiati) (Ph.D. 2018) studied the influence of bile salt on micellar foam drainage. Lena Hassan studied rheology and foams of plant-based milks. UG researchers (coauthors) include Nallely Jimenez and Rabees Rafeeq.
FUTURE FOODS
Plant-based proteins. Polysaccharide-Protein mixtures. Meat and Dairy alternatives
Dripping-onto-substrate (DoS) rheometry for characterizing pinching dynamics of food formulations.
Food foams and foamed emulsions. Foamability. Interfacial rheological properties of proteins.
In collaboration with and funded by Motif Foodworks.
Prior work
Interfacial and shear rheology of proteins, and protein-surfactant mixtures, in collaboration with Aditya Jaishankar & Gareth McKinley, MIT. Funded by Rheosense Inc.
Vegan Emulsions
Mayonnaise and Vegan Mayo. Dairy alternatives. Emulsion Science
Dripping-onto-substrate (DoS) rheometry for characterizing capillary-driven pinching of emulsions.
Vegan emulsions. Emulsification. Interfacial rheological properties of proteins.
In collaboration with and funded by Motif Foodworks.
Publication
Rheology and dispensing of real and vegan mayo: the chickpea or egg problem, N. N. Nikolova, C. Martinez, L. Hassan, R. Nicholson, M. Boehm, S. Baier, and V. Sharma, Soft Matter, 2023. Link
POLYSACCHARIDES & CELLULOSE DERIVATIVES
Shear and Extensional Rheology, Spinnability, Jettability, Stringiness
Associative polysaccharides including hmHEC, hmEHEC
Food rheology modifiers including NaCMC, Xanthan Gum
Paint rheology modifiers, influence on sprayability.
Cellulosic fibers and cellulose nanocrystals. Spinnability.
Dysphagia management: rheology modifiers
Questions and quests from PPG, AkzoNobel, Ashland, CPKelco, Colgate, and Motif Foodworks.
Refereed Publications: Food Science & Biophysics
50. Ultrathin micellar foam films of Sodium Caseinate protein solutions, L Hassan, C. Xu, M. Boehm, S. Baier, and V. Sharma, Langmuir, 2023. In Press
48. Solvent choice influences rheology of polyelectrolytes solutions: Thickening the pot with glycerol and cellulose gum, L.N, Jimenez, C. D. V. Martínez Narváez, and V.Sharma, Macromolecules, 55 (18), 3432-3451 (2022).
38. Surface forces and stratification in foam films formed with bile salts, S. I. Kemal, C. A. Uribe Ortiz and V. Sharma*, Molecular Systems Design & Engineering, 6, 520-533, 2021 Link
32. Capillary Break-up and Extensional Rheology Response of Food Thickener Cellulose Gum (NaCMC) in Salt-Free and Excess Salt Solutions, L. N. Jimenez, C. Martinez Navaraez, and V. Sharma,Phys. Fluids, 32, 012113 (2020). ExtensionalRheol_CelluloseGum_PDF
14. Bouligand structures underlie circularly polarized iridescence of scarab beetles: a closer view, V. Sharma, M. Crne, J. O. Park and M. Srinivasarao, Materials Today: Proceedings, 1S, 161-171, (2014). Bouligand Structures Jewel Beetles PDF
12. “Shear and extensional rheology of cellulose in ionic liquids”, S. J. Haward*, V. Sharma, G. H. McKinley and S. Rahatekar, Biomacromolecules, 13, 1688-1699 (2012). Cellulose/Ionic Liquids PDF
11. Rheology of Globular Proteins: Apparent yield stress, interfacial viscosity and high shear rate viscosity of Bovine Serum Albumin Solutions, V. Sharma, A. Jaishankar, Y. Wang and G. H. McKinley*, Soft Matter, 7 (11), 5150-5160 (2011). ProteinRheology SoftMatter2011 PDF
10. Mimicry of Papilio Palinurus Butterfly Optical Effects” M. Crne, V. Sharma, J. Blair, J. O. Park, C. J. Summers and M. Srinivasarao*, EPL, 93 (1), 14001 (2011) PDF Papilio Biomimicry
9. Extensional opto-rheometry with biofluids and ultra-dilute polymer solutions, S.J. Haward, V. Sharma and J. A. Odell, Soft Matter, 7 (21), 9908-9921 (2011). Cover Art PDF Extensional Opto-Rheometry
8. Apparent bulk yield stress, interfacial creep ringing and interfacial viscoelasticity of globular protein/surfactant mixtures, A. Jaishankar, V. Sharma and G. H. McKinley, Soft Matter, 7 (17), 7623-7634 (2011). PDF Protein-Surfactant Interfacial Rheology & Creep Ringing
4. Structural Origin of Circularly Polarized Iridescence in Jeweled Beetles, V. Sharma, M. Crne, J. O. Park and M. Srinivasarao, Science, 325, 449-452 (2009). Jeweled Beetles PDF
Research featured in
- Perspective “Evolutionary Photonics with a Twist,” Science, 325, 98, (2009).
- Back Scatter,” The Chirality of Beetles,” Physics Today, 84, Sept (2009).
- Cell Culture, “Carving Corners,” Cell, 141, 3, 916 (2010).
- NSF webpage, ‘audio-visual slides’: http://www.nsf.gov/news/newsmedia/beetles/
- Press coverage in BBC News, Science Daily, Physics World, US News, NBC News, Mumbai Mirror, Yahoo News, Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN) among many others