Food Science

Denaturation and Coagulation of Proteins

17 March 2015
th

Group 2 Members:
1. Nice

Sirirat

Jittakajornkait

5761134

2. Jidd

Vorawan

Chanvorawit

5761174

3. Pew

Wittida

Chantawichayasuit

5761179

4. Putter

Yanaj

Budhijalananda

5761180

Proteins are considered as one of the main nutrients that our bodies need, and 50
percent of our cells are proteins. Initially, it helps our bodies to build up and repair cell.
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Proteins also act as a source of energy, as well as produce hormones and enzymes. There
are 10,000 50,000 proteins in human body, but surprisingly, only about 1,000 have been
studied. Furthermore, proteins are the chains of amino acids that linked by the peptide bond.
Proteins are composed of different 20 amino acids which can combine into thousands of
proteins. A protein is a polypeptide that has folded into a particular shape and those shapes
affect their function. The chains or bonds of amino acids are called polypeptide chains
(coiled shape). In addition, the structures of proteins are divided into two types; fibrous and
globular. First, fibrous proteins are a coiled helix structure and form a strand such as the
pieces cut of meat. Second, globular proteins are a strand twist in rounded shape such as
eggs and milk. When proteins fold incorrectly in a random shape or it is changing its shape
without breaking the peptide bond, we called protein denaturation. There are four factors that
cause protein to denature which are pH, temperature, chemical, and pressure. After proteins
get denatured, coagulation occurs. Coagulation is the process when the unfolded protein
changing it state from liquid into a semi-solid solid (forming a curd). Moreover, proteins also
take a big role in cooking such as they act as good emulsifiers, they have ability to foaming,
they use to make a gelatin, and they contains gluten that makes protein stretchy and good
for making cooking flour. (http://foodquality.weebly.com/protein.html)
In this lab, we perform 3 experiments; making cheese from milk, making a tofu from
soy milk, and cook the raw meat. In making cheese we were demonstrated to use vinegar to
precipitate out the casein protein from milk. Next, we use soy milk to make tofu but we use
magnesium sulfate instead of vinegar and the protein that we take out is a soy protein not
the casein. Lastly, we cook the raw meat to observe the different in texture between the raw
and cooked meat.

Purpose:
1. To precipitate casein from milk with an acid (vinegar)
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2. To coagulate protein from soymilk using a salt (magnesium sulfate)

3. To determine the effect of heating proteins by comparing raw versus cooked
meat
Hypothesis:
1. If we add vinegar into milk, then it will start to curd and coagulate.
2. If we add a magnesium sulfate into soymilk, then it will start to curd and
coagulate.
3. If we add heat into a raw meat then it will change in texture to be rough and
less flexible.
Materials:

Beakers

Stirring rod

Hot plate

Weighing scale

Piece of cloth

Microscope

Petri dish

Milk

Vinegar

Soymilk

Magnesium Sulfate

Raw chicken meat

Water

Procedure:
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Experiment 1: Precipitate Casein From Milk with an Acid (Vinegar)

Experiment 2: Coagulation of Protein from Soy Milk Using a Salt (Magnesium Sulfate)
4

Experiment 3: Determining the Effect of Heating Proteins by Comparing Raw versus Cooked
Meat

Results:
Table 1: Milk and soy milk curds
Weight of empty beaker: 104.76 (Milk), 103.80 (Soymilk)

Food
type

Picture

Milk
+
Acid

Soymilk
+
Salt

Weight of
milk or
soymilk

Weight
of curd

Detailed
description of
curd

Percent
curd

110.61

16.92

Soft like a new

pure cheese or
goat cheese

15.3%

26.63

Cream color,
more dense and
clay like tofu

30.1%

88.51

Table 2: Comparison of meat texture

Raw meat

Cooked meat

Soft, pink-yellowish color, jelly liked, flexible

Hard, pink-white color, easy to tear apart

Analyzing Results:
1. Describe the difference in textures between the raw chicken muscle and the
cooked chicken muscle.
Table 3: Raw chicken muscle VS. Cooked chicken muscle
Raw meat

Cooked meat

The raw meats texture is softer than the cooked one. It has a

jelly-liked texture which the cooked chicken doesnt have. The raw meat also
contains more flexibility than cooked meat, which also makes its tissue
bouncy and hardly to tear apart. Compared to the cooked meat, its texture is
harder and more solid-liked. The tissue can be seen obviously, and it easier
to tear apart than the raw meat.
2. Compare the weights of the curds from the milk with that from the soymilk. Explain
why you think there is a difference.
Table 4: Milk VS. Soy milk
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Food type
Milk + Acid
Soy milk + Salt

Weight of curds
16.92g
26.63g

Percentage of curds
15.3%
30.1%

The weight of soy proteins in the soy milk is nearly twice the

casein in milk. The percentage of curds in soy milk also higher than what is in
the milk. In our opinion, they are different because milk is originally from
animal but soy milk is from plants. They might also have different densities
which soy milk is the one who is denser. Another reason might because the
type of proteins that they contain. While milk contains casein, soymilk has a
soy protein. These two types of proteins have a different characteristics and
properties which might resulted in the weight of them.
3. What percent casein from milk was your group able to collect? How about soy
protein from soy milk? Which group in your class had the highest percentage?
-

Our percent of casein in milk is 15.3% and soy protein is

30.1%. The group that has the highest percentage of the casein in milk is
Nons group (20.34%). The group that has the highest soy protein in soy milk
is our group (30.1%).
4. Describe the process of denaturation and coagulation of proteins.
-

The denaturation of proteins occurs when the helix structure in

proteins are broken apart by using temperature, acidity, salt, and enzymes. It
is also the process that makes proteins change its shape and unfold.
-

The coagulation of proteins occurs after the denaturation

because the denatured proteins will be rejoined and it causes coagulants. It is

a separation of proteins from the products and form in liquid to solid (or semisolid).
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Both of this can be imagine by thinking about making a

scrambled egg. When we beating the egg white with egg yolk is when the
proteins is start to denatured. When we set it on the pan, that liquid egg start
to become solid is where the coagulation takes place.

5. Research why adding vinegar to milk denatures the casein proteins. Describe the
pH change that takes place.
-

Based on our research when we adding vinegar to milk

denatures the casein proteins because the vinegar is an acid which lower
milks pH from 6.6 to 4.6 where the casein are start to dissolve in milk again.
Since the pH over 4.6 is best for casein to stay in milk, but vinegar lower it
down the pH where casein cannot stay. Vinegar makes the casein chain to
break down and reorganized into a new long chain which means it changes
the shape and was unfolded, then the coagulation come after that. After
vinegar is all dissolves those casein start to forming again but in a solid-liked
form, and curdling the milk.
-

Sources : http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-

projects/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=11102
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fairprojects/Classroom_Activity_Teacher_MilkPlastic.shtml
6. Coagulation of blood takes place in the human body. Link your knowledge of
coenzymes from Biology class to this process. Research which coenzymes are needed in
order for blood to coagulate, and briefly explain how it works.
-

From the Biology class that weve learned about the enzymes

and coenzymes, coenzymes are non-proteins organic molecules. They use to

help the enzyme to bind and resulted in faster reaction. The coagulation of

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blood takes place in the human body; coenzyme Q-10 and vitamin K are
needed in order for blood to coagulate. Those two enzymes both use to
promote the blood clotting by when there is a tear in our blood vessels, the
cell fragment called platelets come out and stick to those holes. After that, the
clotting factors which are special proteins come out and perform their job to
attach to those platelets. The coenzyme Q-10 and vitamin K are now activate
their job. Those coenzyme help synthesize the fibrous tissue called fibrin to
hold those platelets and clotting factor together creating a blood clot. Like we
was mention above these two coenzyme are help the clotting factors to create
a fibrin faster like its function of being an coenzyme.
-

Sources:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/983.html
http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=278453.0
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/blood-clotting-tests
Conclusion:
The protein is one of the main sources in our body. It is made of chains of amino
acids which help to maintain, build, and replace our tissues. Proteins are divided into two
types; fibrous and globular and they have an ability to be denatured and coagulated. In this
lab, we did three experiments to observe the denaturation of proteins in milk, soy milk and
coagulation of protein in meat. In fact, we were success in performing all of the three
experiments especially the soy milk one. We were the group that can precipitate the soy
protein out of the soy milk the most with the percentage of 30.1%.
From the experiments that we did, the casein from milk in the first experiment was
very light, soft and white like a cheese. Compared to the soymilk, its lighter than curds from
soymilk due to an unequal density. Since soymilk has more density, and weight. It is also soft
but not as soft as milks curd. Curds from soymilk has cream colored, it can mold easier than
curds from milk. The raw meat and the cooked meat are different in texture and appearance
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because protein in meats denatured by heat but it takes time to denature it. As they show in
the results, the raw meat is flexible and can barely tear compared to the cooked one, its
appearance seem to be hard but it tear easier than the raw meat.
Otherwise, we also make some mistakes in this lab. When we pour the curdled milk
into the beaker, the curds spilled on the table because we tied the cloth on the top of the
beaker too tight. Moreover, on the first day of the lab experiment, we couldnt do the second
experiment which is observing coagulation in soymilk. The reason is because those soy milk
need to be boiled hot enough to perform the experiment. The other group that did this
experiment, they did not pre-heating the soymilk which makes no curds to form.
For the improvement, next time we will be more careful when we pour something out
the beaker because if it is the dangerous chemicals, we may get harm from its. Moreover,
this time we did with a heat because we boiled some milk, soy milk, and meat so we have to
be cautious for the hot water. In addition, we can be burn from the hot water. During lab time,
we must follow all the rules and be aware from any dangerous. Another thing that we should
do is to work as a team because we cannot be the only one who do the whole experiment.

Work log

Name

Role

Finished?
Yes/No

Pew

Introduction

Procedure

Add detail

Check error

- Conclusion
(Summary)

12

Yes

Analyzing result No.

Purpose

Material

Procedure

Results

Analyzing result No.

Add table

Add picture

6
Jidd

Yes

1&2

- Conclusion (Results
& Errors)
Nice

Introduction

Analyzing result No.

Yes

4
- Conclusion
(Introduction)
- Conclusion
(Improvement)
Putter

Analyzing result No.

3&5
- Conclusion
(Summary)

13

Yes