Volume Fraction Measurement of Soft (Dairy) Microgels by Standard Addition and Static Light Scattering

Abstract The volume fraction of the dispersed phase in concentrated soft (dairy) microgels, such as fresh cheese, is directly related to structure and rheology. Measurement or modeling for mechanically sensitive microgel dispersions problematic, since responsiveness rheological changes upon mechanical input these systems limits application typical functional relationships, i.e., using apparent viscosity. In this paper, we propose a method measure by standard addition volume-weighted particle size distributions obtained static light scattering. Relative volumes are converted fraction, based on spiked volumes. Volume fractions two example dispersions, namely, differently produced cheeses, were evaluated before after post-treatments tempering processing. By selecting particles ratios levels mixing ratios/relative fractions, could be applied robustly within wide range sizes (1 500 μm) multimodal (up quadmodal). Tempering increased both ( P < 0.05). Subsequent treatment reduced back starting value Furthermore, it was shown that increase successive decrease viscosity with not exclusively due aggregation breakdown, but each particle. For environmentally responsive matter, proposed promising measurement fraction.