Rheological Characteristics and Quality Optimization of Low-Fat Salad Dressing Based on Egg White Protein Microparticles

In this experiment, egg white protein microparticles (EWPM) were used as a lipid substitute matrix to investigate the effects of EWPM/xanthan gum (XG) blend concentration, pH, sodium chloride concentration, sugar concentration, and homogenization conditions on the rheological properties of ultra-low-fat salad dressing products. The results showed that XG had a significant thickening effect on EWPM-based ultra-low-fat salad dressing. However, excess XG led to a decrease in the resilience of low-fat salad dressing. The effects of basic seasoning components on the quality of ultra-low-fat salad dressing were significantly different. pH and salt concentration had a significant impact on the viscosity of the salad dressing system, while sugar addition had a relatively smaller impact on the viscosity. Moderate colloid mill homogenization speed and time reduced the particle size of the product, thereby increasing the internal uniformity and significantly improving the viscosity of ultra-low-fat salad dressing. This study provides a clearer direction for the optimization of low-fat salad dressing.