What You Need to Know
During cooling, soy proteins (glycinin and β‑conglycinin) undergo conformational changes that expose sulfhydryl groups, enabling disulfide bond formation and hydrophobic interactions. These cross‑links assemble into a three‑dimensional network that traps oil droplets, yielding a firm, gelled emulsion. Lecithin addition reduces interfacial tension, further stabilizing the system.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Protein self‑assembly via disulfide cross‑linking and hydrophobic aggregation during cooling