In the present work carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) was used as a stabilizer to avoid the flocculation of milk proteins in acidified milk drinks. The particle diameter and ζ-potential evolution during acidification of casein micelles in CMC were studied. The experimental results indicate that the adsorption of CMC takes place at and below pH 5.2 and that electrosorption may be the driving force for the adsorption of CMC onto the casein micelles. The stability of acidified milk drinks induced by CMC could be explained presumably by steric stabilization caused by the anchor of CMC onto the casein micelles' surface rather than electrostatic repulsion. Above pH 5.2 phase separation of the casein/CMC mixture corresponding to thermodynamic incompatibility was found at high CMC concentration, while below pH 5.2 the adsorption of CMC led to either stabilization or bridging among casein micelles depending on the CMC concentration. In addition, the non-adsorbed CMC (serum CMC) increased the viscosity of the serum and thus contributed to preventing casein micelles from precipitating. acidified milk drink / carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) / casein micelle / electrosorption / stability
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.