Gel products and a process for making them

A process for producing a proteinaceous gel comprising the steps of:

• preparing an aqueous dispersion of a globular protein or of proteinaceous material containing such protein;
• incorporating a reducing sugar or source thereof in said dispersion in a concentration of from 0.3-10% by weight of the dispersion;
• subjecting said protein in said dispersion to denaturing conditions;
• maintaining said denaturing conditions while causing said sugar to react with said protein;
• and
• causing said protein in said dispersion under denaturing conditions to form a gel structure and thereby to produce a thermally irreversible and stable substantially clear gel product.

In the process of producing a thermally irreversible gel from a globular protein or proteinaceous material containing such protein, comprising the steps of:

• preparing an aqueous dispersion of said protein or proteinaceous material;
• and
• causing said protein in said dispersion to form a thermally irreversible gel structure;
• the improvement comprising:
• incorporating a reducing sugar or source thereof in said dispersion in a concentration of from 0.3 to 10% by weight of the dispersion;
• subjecting said protein in said dispersion to denaturing conditions;
• and maintaining said denaturing conditions while causing said reducing sugar to react with said protein and causing said protein to form a thermally irreversible gel structure, thereby yielding a stable substantially clear gel product.

A process for producing a proteinaceous gel comprising the steps of:

• preparing an aqueous dispersion of a globular protein or of proteinaceous material containing such protein;
• incorporating a reducing sugar or source thereof in said dispersion;
• applying a chaotropic agent to said protein in said dispersion to denature said protein;
• causing said sugar to react with said protein in the presence of said chaotropic agent;
• and
• causing said protein in the presence of said sugar and said chaotropic agent to form a gel structure and thereby produce a thermally irreversible and stable substantially clear gel product.