Abstract
The current study examined the effect of the Tremella fuciformis berkeley polysaccharide on milk curd formation. It was determined that this polysaccharide could significantly increase the viscosity, hardness, breaking energy and elastic modulus, and decrease the clotting time and syneresis of milk curd. The study of milk curd microstructure established that this polysaccharide could interact with casein micelles, and the interaction between them caused a higher density, three-dimensional network in the milk curd. This network could improve water-holding capacity in the milk curd, and give milk curd thickness to prevent the fracture of curd and wheying-off. Furthermore, it could increase the viscosity, hardness, breaking energy, as well as the elastic modulus and reduce syneresis of the milk curd. It was also determined that these effects had a positive relationship with polysaccharide content in the milk curd.
