Evaluation of the Properties of Whey Ice Cream by Adding Microbial Transglutaminase

Abstract Transglutaminase (TG) is an enzyme widely used in food due to its ability to catalyze the formation of covalent bonds between protein molecules. This activity leads to improved structure and functionality. This study aimed to determine the effect of microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) addition on the physicochemical and structural properties of whey-based ice cream. Cryoscopic temperature, density, melting time, emulsion stability, particle size distribution, viscosity, and crystal structure were analyzed. The addition of transglutaminase had a positive effect on selected product quality parameters. The cryoscopic temperature of the samples averaged − 3.0 °C and did not differ significantly, except for the variant without stabilizers, which included the addition of an enzyme. The use of MTGase increased emulsion stability and slowed the recrystallization process. The difference in mean crystal size after 24 h and after 1 month of storage was within the range of 1.0–1.5 µm. The highest viscosity values were recorded in the stabilized sample with added MTGase, both before (351.10 mPas) and after aging (581.80 mPas), which was attributed to the increased ability of the protein-stabilizer complex to adsorb free water. These results suggest that MTGase can be an effective biotechnological tool for improving selected quality attributes of whey-based ice cream, particularly viscosity, emulsion stability, and resistance to recrystallization. This enzyme demonstrates significant potential in ice cream production, allowing the use of whey proteins without compromising the quality of the final product.