Particle Size Distribution of Soymilk Analyzed by A Laser Beam Particle Analyzer

Studies on Coagulation Process of Soymilk in Tofu and Kori-tofu Manufacture Part VII

Abstract

A laser beam particle analyzer was applied to measurement of soymilk particle size distribution. The distribution of particle size in soymilk was composed of two parts in a range of 1-100μm; a sharp peak below 1μm and a broad peak around 10μm. The total particle counts of soymilk increased linearly with an increase in concentration of soymilk at the concentration level between 0.1 and 5%. Therefore, the to total particle counts of soymilk were applicable to estimate the concentration of soymilk. By comparing the total counts of soymilk with those of denatured protein solutions prepared from defatted soybean meal, about 15% of the total counts of soymilk was attributed to heat-denaturation process of protein and the remaining counts to the emulsifying process with lipid. The up-and-down temperature shift affected the counts and the size of soymilk particles.