Published in a world-renowned academic journal in the field of food science and technology / Students Choi Ju-won and Han Gyu-mi (Master’s students, Department of Food and Nutrition, Graduate School, Class of ’25)
- 26.08.26 / 홍유민
A paper titled “Optimizing melt–stretch properties in yeast protein vegan mozzarella analogues through protein–starch interactions,” in which Choi Ju-won and Han Gyu-mi, master’s students in the Department of Food and Nutrition at the Graduate School of Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul; advisor: Professor Imm Jee-Young), served as co-first authors, was published in *Food Hydrocolloids* (IF: 13.8, top 1.3% in the JCR) in the field of food science and technology.
*Food Hydrocolloids* is an international academic journal in the field of food science published by Elsevier. It focuses on research regarding the structure and functional characteristics of food hydrocolloids and biopolymers—such as proteins and polysaccharides—as well as the physical properties, rheological characteristics, stability, and structural formation of foods resulting from their interactions.
This study was initiated against the backdrop of growing global interest in sustainable food and the rapid growth of the plant-based alternative food market, recognizing that existing vegan cheeses have limitations in achieving the same meltability and elasticity as conventional cheeses.
The research team focused on yeast protein—a next-generation alternative protein material characterized by high production efficiency and low environmental impact—and sought to elucidate how the formation of a protein–starch composite network with tapioca starch affects the functionality of vegan cheese. Through their research, they confirmed that the composition of protein and starch regulates not only the network structure but also water mobility and lipid distribution, and that these structural changes ultimately lead to the meltability and elasticity—key characteristics of mozzarella cheese. This finding not only demonstrates the potential for utilizing yeast protein as a new ingredient but also holds significant academic and industrial value by proposing a scientific design approach to effectively achieve the meltability and elasticity of conventional vegan cheese through the regulation of structural interactions among food components.
Furthermore, based on these research findings, the research team filed a patent for “Vegan Cheese with a Composite Gel Structure Containing Single-Cell Protein and Natural Starch,” thereby further expanding the practical application and industrial potential of their research.
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Published in a world-renowned academic journal in the field of food science and technology / Students Choi Ju-won and Han Gyu-mi (Master’s students, Department of Food and Nutrition, Graduate School, Class of ’25) |
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A paper titled “Optimizing melt–stretch properties in yeast protein vegan mozzarella analogues through protein–starch interactions,” in which Choi Ju-won and Han Gyu-mi, master’s students in the Department of Food and Nutrition at the Graduate School of Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul; advisor: Professor Imm Jee-Young), served as co-first authors, was published in *Food Hydrocolloids* (IF: 13.8, top 1.3% in the JCR) in the field of food science and technology. *Food Hydrocolloids* is an international academic journal in the field of food science published by Elsevier. It focuses on research regarding the structure and functional characteristics of food hydrocolloids and biopolymers—such as proteins and polysaccharides—as well as the physical properties, rheological characteristics, stability, and structural formation of foods resulting from their interactions. This study was initiated against the backdrop of growing global interest in sustainable food and the rapid growth of the plant-based alternative food market, recognizing that existing vegan cheeses have limitations in achieving the same meltability and elasticity as conventional cheeses. The research team focused on yeast protein—a next-generation alternative protein material characterized by high production efficiency and low environmental impact—and sought to elucidate how the formation of a protein–starch composite network with tapioca starch affects the functionality of vegan cheese. Through their research, they confirmed that the composition of protein and starch regulates not only the network structure but also water mobility and lipid distribution, and that these structural changes ultimately lead to the meltability and elasticity—key characteristics of mozzarella cheese. This finding not only demonstrates the potential for utilizing yeast protein as a new ingredient but also holds significant academic and industrial value by proposing a scientific design approach to effectively achieve the meltability and elasticity of conventional vegan cheese through the regulation of structural interactions among food components. Furthermore, based on these research findings, the research team filed a patent for “Vegan Cheese with a Composite Gel Structure Containing Single-Cell Protein and Natural Starch,” thereby further expanding the practical application and industrial potential of their research.
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