A process for producing a protein-carbohydrate complex includes the steps of providing a modified protein (MP), the MP characterized by being denatured and heated sufficiently to gel; mixing the MP with a carbohydrate to form an MP-carbohydrate mixture; and heating the MP-carbohydrate mixture to a temperature and for a time sufficient to form MP-carbohydrate complexes. The resulting protein-carbohydrate complex may have properties that include a viscosity of at least 1.0 Pa-s at a shear rate of a 50 s.sup.-1 at 25.degree. C. and a creaming index of less than 25 percent.