Mw.ir. C. Veerman : Properties of Fibriliar Protein Assemblies and their Percolating Networks

The relation between macroscopic properties of complex systems and molecular properties of their ingredients has received considerable attention in recent years. To bridge the gap between properties at these two length scales, it is important to focus on the intermediate mesoscopic level (10 – 1000 nm). The description of complex systems at this intermediate length scale offers challenges from a fundamental and applied point of view. From an applied point of view, we developed a new process to obtain a gel network at very low protein concentrations (0.07%). This new process opens possibilities for a more efficient use of food ingredients in general. From a fundamental point of view we obtained more insight in the assembly of food proteins into fibrils, and the resulting gelating systems at rest and under shear flow, in terms of mesoscopic fibril properties.