Soymilk can be used as a raw material to produce gel-like food with texture characteristics of yogurt
through lactic fermentation. The removal of beany flavors and a soft yogurt-like texture are two
fundamental criteria for evaluating the quality of soy yogurt. However, the effect of blanching treatment,
which can eliminate beany flavors, on the texture of soy yogurt remains unclear. The objective of this
study was to compare the texture of soy yogurt prepared by blanching soybeans under different
blanching temperatures. Variations in texture and microstructure of soymilk gels were analyzed by
texture profile analysis and scanning electron microscopy. A soft and weak soymilk gel was produced at a
blanching temperature above 70 C. The strength and rigidity of the soymilk gel produced at a blanching
temperature of 80 C decreased by approximately 50% compared to that obtained by traditional treatment.
With the increase in blanching temperature, the microstructure of the soymilk gel transformed
from a three-dimensional stranded network with dense crosslinks of “string of beads” protein polymers
to a thick honeycomb, lamellar structure of stacked protein particles and clustered aggregated around
the stranded networks. A yogurt-like soymilk gel with soft, tender, and smooth characteristics was obtained
with 70 C blanching treatment.
2014 Elsevier Lt