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: 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 animal and plant milks. Former UG researchers, coauthors on published papers, include Nallely Jimenez, Rabees Rafeeq, Karim Al Zahabi, and Ramiro Maldonado.

Rheology and Texture of Future Foods

Plant-based proteins. Polysaccharide-Protein mixtures. Meat and Dairy alternatives. Stringiness, ropiness, spraying.

Dripping-onto-substrate (DoS) rheometry for characterizing pinching dynamics of food formulations.

Food foams and foamed emulsions. Foamability. Interfacial rheological properties of proteins.

Collaboration and funding: Motif Foodworks. Kraft-Heins m

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Prior work

Interfacial and shear rheology of proteins, and protein-surfactant mixtures, in collaboration with Aditya Jaishankar & Gareth McKinley, MIT. Funded by Rheosense Inc.

Engineering 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 and Cellulose Thickeners

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

59. “The bubbly life and death of animal and plant milk foams”, L. Hassan, M. Reynoso, C. Xu, K. Al Zahabi, R. Maldonado, R. A Nicholson, M. W Boehm, S. K Baier, and V. Sharma, Soft Matter, (2024)

55. “Pinching dynamics, extensional rheology, and stringiness of saliva substitutes”, Karim Al-Zahabi, Lena Hasan, Michael Boehm, Stefan Baier, and V. Sharma*, Soft Matter, (2024)

52. “Rheology and dispensing of real and vegan mayo: the chickpea or egg problem,” N. N. Nikolova, C. D. V. Martinez, Narvaez, L. Hassan, R. A. Nicholson, M. W. Boehm, S. K. Baier, and V. Sharma, Soft Matter, 19,  9413-9427, 2023. Read & watch SI video here

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 

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