Temperature-dependent complexation between sodium caseinate and gum arabic

Complex formation between sodium caseinate and gum arabic as a function of temperature was investigated using dynamic light scattering, fluorescence and NMR. At neutral pH, the turbidity and the particle size increased when sodium caseinate and gum arabic mixtures were heated in situ at temperatures above a critical temperature. The increases in turbidity and particle size were reversible. This effect was considered to be due to hydrophobic interactions, leading to the formation of a complex between sodium caseinate and gum arabic. 1H NMR spectroscopy showed that ANS, which bound to caseinate at low temperatures in caseinate solution or a caseinate–gum arabic mixture, was released at high temperatures upon formation of a caseinate or caseinate–gum arabic complex. This supported changes observed in the fluorescence of 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonate upon binding to caseinate, which decreased at high temperatures for caseinate alone or when sodium caseinate was mixed with gum arabic. Light-scattering (turbidity) and dynamic light-scattering studies show that the temperature-dependent complexation between sodium caseinate and gum arabic was sensitive to the mass ratio of protein to gum arabic (greater complexation at a 1:5 ratio than a 1:1 ratio) and the pH (maximum complexation at pH 6.5).