Wheat gluten proteins phosphorylated with sodium tripolyphosphate: Changes in structure to improve functional properties for expanding applications

Effects of the oleic acid-rich glycerolipids and thermal-mechanical treatment on the functionality of wheat gluten: Multi-spectroscopy and molecular simulation analysis

Lipids have been used to regulate dough's processing characteristics; however, how they affect gluten properties remains unclear. In this study, the effects of different acid-based glycerolipids and thermomechanical treatments on gluten functionalities were investigated. The results demonstrated that exogenous oleic acid-based lipids regulate gluten secondary structure. Oleic acid increased the α-helix content and improved the viscoelasticity of gluten, whereas triolein and rapeseed oil reduced the viscoelasticity and enhanced its tensile properties. Thermomechanical treatment promoted the aggregation and formation of more disulfide bonds in gluten, whereas clear fluorescence quenching was observed in gluten-containing exogenous lipids. Moreover, molecular simulation analysis indicated that hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interactions are key non-covalent forces that promoted the interaction of exogenous lipids and gluten. Compared with other oleic acid-based glycerolipids, monoolein-gliadin systems exhibited the highest binding energies (-20.6 kJ/mol). Our results deepen the understanding of why oils and fats regulate the processing characteristics of wheat-based foods.

Recent Advances in Heat-Induced Wheat Protein Modifications

Wheat protein plays a crucial role in food processing, valued for its distinctive viscoelastic properties. Heating, a fundamental step in food production, profoundly affects the structure and functionality of wheat protein. These changes, driven by temperature variations and physical interactions, are key determinants of product quality. This paper explores the mechanisms behind gluten network and gel formation in wheat protein, focusing on how different heat induction methods-such as wet heating, superheated steam, extrusion, and microwave treatments-alter its structure and functionality. Furthermore, it examines the interactions between wheat protein and other components, including polysaccharides, water, and sodium ions, within heat-induced processing systems. These interactions and their impact on product quality and application are analyzed in detail. The study aims to provide theoretical insights that can enhance the quality and utility of wheat protein in food processing.

Synergistic effects of alternating magnetic field and sodium tripolyphosphate on functional properties of myofibrillar proteins in low-salt systems

This study investigated the synergistic regulatory mechanisms of alternating magnetic field (AMF) and sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) on the functional properties of myofibrillar protein (MP) in a low-salt environment. It was found that AMF promotes an increase in MP solubility. When the magnetic field strength was >6 mT, the formation of hydrophobic interactions within the MP molecules reached a dynamic equilibrium with the action of the AMF, resulting in a slowing down of the increase in MP solubility and emulsification activity. The intervention of STPP strengthened the extension of MP structure under the action of AMF and suppressed the intermolecular aggregation, and the solubility under the same magnetic field strength was further enhanced. However, the presence of STPP retained more α-helix for the MP gels, forcing a significant increase in β-sheet in the AMF-modified MP gels mainly contributed by irregular curling. This resulted in a more ordered and stabilized MP gel structure, and the gel strength, textural properties and water-holding capacity were further enhanced. The study revealed the dual regulatory mechanism of AMF-STPP synergistic strategy on the functional properties of proteins, which provided a theoretical basis for the improvement of low-salt surimi products and the design of protein-based materials.

Bio-inspired eco-friendly wheat gluten based underwater adhesives with instant, robust and harsh environment adhesion properties

Underwater adhesives are essential in industry, biomedical field, as well as our daily life. Herein, inspired by the natural plant protein, an eco-friendly, cost-effective and renewable bio-resources gliadin/TA adhesive was developed by a facile and effective strategy. The prepared gliadin/TA adhesive displayed exceptional substrate universality, rapid self-healing ability, instant and long-term underwater adhesion, strong affinity and good environmental adaptability. In the dry environment, the glued woods with a lab-shear bond can lift a weight of 11.62 kg object with a bond area was 2.15 cm2. In the water, the gliadin/TA adhesives can successfully lift 1 kg stainless steel and maintained effective adhesion for up to 50 days without detachment. Meanwhile, the gliadin/TA adhesives exhibited excellent environmental adaptability, including 1 M NaCl, extreme acidic (pH = 2), alkaline (pH = 14) and high-temperature (48 °C) aqueous solutions. Additionally, the potential applications of gliadin/TA adhesives have been proved by repairing porcine skin and bones, bonding wood particles together rapidly to withstand water-flushing, plugging leaky containers and broken pig intestine. This work presents a distinctive and facile strategy for designing and developing the eco-friendly, cost-effective and renewable bio-resources underwater adhesives.

Effects of black soybean peel anthocyanins on the structural and functional properties of wheat gluten

BACKGROUND

Wheat gluten (WG) is a crucial cereal protein commonly utilized in the food, biological and pharmaceutical industries. However, WG is poorly soluble in water, resulting in poor functional properties, which restrict its application in the food industry. As a result, there is an urgent need for improving the properties of WG.

RESULTS

This study was conducted to examine the functional properties of WG after binding with black soybean peel anthocyanin extract (BAE). Results showed that BAE enhanced the solubility, water-holding and antioxidant capacity, foaming properties and emulsifying activity of WG, while decreasing the emulsion stability. The degree of hydrolysis of WG and retention rate of BAE became higher in the digested WG-BAE complex than in the control groups. Additionally, an analysis was conducted on the mechanism of interaction between cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) and WG/gliadin (Gli)/glutenin (Glu). The secondary structure of WG/Gli/Glu was altered after adding C3G. C3G had high affinity for WG/Gli/Glu since their binding constants were greater than 104 L mol-1. The primary binding forces between C3G and WG/Gli were hydrophobic interactions, whereas the main interaction forces between C3G and Glu were hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces. Moreover, C3G increased the thermal stability and changed the network structure of WG/Gli/Glu.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that BAE effectively enhanced a range of functional properties of WG. The interaction between WG and BAE also improved the bioavailability and nutritional value of them. Furthermore, the interaction mode between BAE and WG was investigated. These findings lay a foundation for utilizing gluten-anthocyanins in the food sector. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Update on hazelnut allergy: Allergen characterization, epidemiology, food processing technique and detecting strategy

Hazelnuts are popular among people due to their dense nutrient component. However, eating them may be quite dangerous for those who are allergic. To improve food safety, this research examines current developments in the characterization, processing, and detection of hazelnut allergens. The identification and molecular knowledge of certain proteins that cause allergic responses are necessary for the characterization of hazelnut allergens. Proteomics and genomics are two techniques that have helped to advance our knowledge of hazelnut allergens and facilitate the creation of more precise diagnostic instruments. One important factor to reduce but not to eliminate the exposure to hazelnut allergens is food processing. The extractability of hazelnut proteins with regard to food processing plays a crucial role in determining allergenicity. Innovative technologies have been created to lessen allergenicity in foods containing hazelnuts while preserving their flavor and quality. These technologies include thermal and nonthermal processing techniques. To further safeguard consumers with hazelnut allergies, innovations in ingredient labeling and cross-contamination avoidance techniques have been put into place. For the purpose of management, if foods contain hazelnut, they must label it. Technological developments in analytical methods, including mass spectrometry, polymerase chain reaction, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, have made it possible to identify hazelnut allergens with high specificity and sensitivity in a range of dietary matrices. Moreover, the advancement of point-of-care testing instruments presents the possibility of prompt on site identification, hence enhancing food safety for people with hazelnut allergies. The multidisciplinary efforts of researchers, food technologists, and allergists to enhance the safety of products containing hazelnuts are highlighted in this study.

Contribution of phosphorylation modification by sodium tripolyphosphate to the functional properties of hollow zein nanoparticles

In this study, hollow zein nanoparticles (HZn) have been prepared by Na2CO3 as a sacrificial template, and phosphorylated hollow zein nanoparticles (PHZn) have been further prepared with sodium tripolyphosphate (STP) incorporation. The results indicated that HZn exhibited a smaller particle size in comparison to solid zein nanoparticles (SZn), which consequently led to a higher degree of phosphorylation for HZn when equivalent amounts of STP were incorporated. As phosphorylation increased, the zeta potential, free amino content, and free sulfhydryl content of HZn decreased, attaining the lowest values of -53.2 mV, 0.134 mmol/g, and 14.36 µmol/g, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy measurements showed that PHZn was more denatured than SZn. This series of changes contributed to the improvement of the functional indicators. Thus, compared to SZn, the functional characteristics of PHZn at the highest phosphorylation level exhibit significant improvements in several aspects: solubility increased from 21.88 % to 43.45 %; excellent storage stability for at least 3 weeks at room temperature; enhancements in emulsification activity and emulsification stability by 118.63 m2/g and 59.54 %, respectively; increases in foaming capacity and foaming stability by 2.73 and 1.22 times, respectively; and improvements in puerarin encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity by 17.10 % and 3.42 %, individually. These findings indicate that the implementation of hollow preparation techniques and the incorporation of STP can enhance the functional properties and broaden the potential applications of zein nanoparticles.

Effect of κ-carrageenan on the quality of crayfish surimi gels

The demand for crayfish surimi products has grown recently due to its high protein content. This study examined the effects of varying κ-carrageenan (CAR) and crayfish surimi (CSM) concentrations on the gelling properties of CAR-CSM composite gel and its intrinsic formation process. Our findings demonstrated that with the increasing concentration of carrageenan, the quality of CAR-CSM exhibited rising trend followed by subsequently fall. Based on the textural qualities, the highest quality CAR-CSM was achieved at 0.3% carrageenan addition. With the exception of chewiness, and the cooking loss of the gel system was 1.62%, whiteness was 82.35%, and the percentage of β-sheets increased to 57.18%. Further increase in CAR (0.4-0.5%) addition resulted in internal build-up of LCAR-CSM, conversion of intermolecular forces into disulfide bonds and gel breakage. This study exudes timely recommendations for extending the CAR application for the continuous development of crayfish surimi and its derivatives and its overall economic worth.

A comprehensive review on mango allergy: Clinical relevance, causative allergens, cross-reactivity, influence of processing techniques, and management strategies

Mangoes (Mangifera indica) are widely prized for their abundant nutritional content and variety of beneficial bioactive compounds and are popularly utilized in various foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics industries. However, it is important to note that certain proteins present in mango can trigger various allergic reactions, ranging from mild oral allergy syndrome to severe life-threatening anaphylaxis. The immunoglobulin E-mediated hypersensitivity of mango is mainly associated with three major allergenic proteins: Man i 1 (class IV chitinase), Man i 2 (pathogenesis-related-10 protein; Bet v 1-related protein), and Man i 4 (profilin). Food processing techniques can significantly affect the structure of mango allergens, reducing their potential to cause allergies. However, it is worth mentioning that complete elimination of mango allergen immunoreactivity has not been achieved. The protection of individuals sensitized to mango should be carefully managed through an avoidance diet, immediate medical care, and long-term oral immunotherapy. This review covers various aspects related to mango allergy, including prevalence, pathogenesis, symptoms, and diagnosis. Furthermore, the characterization of mango allergens and their potential cross-reactivity with other fruits, vegetables, plant pollen, and seeds were discussed. The review also highlights the effects of food processing on mango and emphasizes the available strategies for managing mango allergy.

A multiple cross-linking strategy to develop an environment-friendly and water resistance wheat gluten protein wood adhesive

Wheat gluten (WG) shows great promise to synthesize environment-friendly wood adhesives. However, their weak bonding strength and poor water resistance have limited its application in the commercial wood-based panel industry. In this study, a novel WG-based adhesive was developed by constructing a multiple cross-linking network generated by covalent and non-covalent bonds. The potential mechanism was revealed by FT-IR analysis. Furthermore, their surface morphology, thermal stability, viscosity, and residual rate of adhesives with different compositions were systematically characterized and compared. The results showed that the hydrogen bonding, reactions between amine groups and tannin, and ring opening reaction of epoxy, synergistically contributed to generate a highly crosslinked network. The wet/boil water strength of the plywood prepared from WG/tannin/ethylene imine polymer (PEI)-glycerol triglycidyl ether (GTE) adhesive with the addition of 15 % GTE could reach 1.21 MPa and 1.20 MPa, respectively, and a mildew resistance ability was observed. This study provides a facile strategy to fabricate high-performance plant protein-based adhesives with desirable water resistance for practical application.

Distinctive Processing Effects on Recovered Protein Isolates from Laurel (Bay) and Olive Leaves: A Comparative Study

Although there is a well-known awareness of the nutritional potential of plant proteins, their utilization within food formulations is currently limited due to insufficient investigation of the functional properties or processing conditions. In this study, the protein contents of the remaining pulps of laurel (bay) (LL) and olive leaves (OL) after alcoholic washing (representing phenolic compound extraction), heat treatment (representing the usage of the leaves for tea brewing or as cooking aid), and deoiling process (representing oil extraction) were investigated. Bicinchoninic acid assay (BCA) indicated that the best protein yield was achieved with a direct isolation process after hexane oil removal. Both LL and OL isolates contained around 80% protein, but high temperature and alcohol content broke down the protein structure as well as decreased the final protein content (∼40%). Alcohol treatment appears to remove protein-bound phenols and increase fluorescence intensity in OL protein isolates while potentially causing structural alterations in LL proteins. In addition to a dramatic decrease in fluorescence intensity, the absolute zeta potentials of protein extracts of boiling OL and LL increased by 53 and 24%, respectively. The increased zeta potentials along with the decreased fluorescence intensity indicate the changes in the protein conformation and enhanced hydrophilicity of the protein structure, which can influence the functional properties of proteins. Protein extracts of deoiled LL had the highest ΔH value (180 mJ/mg), which is higher than other laurel and all olive protein samples. Laurel protein isolates became more thermally stable after hexane treatment. Moreover, the protein extracts after hexane treatment showed better emulsion capacity from both laurel (71.57%) and olive (61.87%). Water-binding capacity and thermal stability of the protein extracts from deoiled samples were higher than those of the other pretreatments, but the boiled samples showed higher oil-binding capacity due to protein denaturation. These findings indicate the importance of processing conditions in modulating protein properties for various applications.

Updates on Plant-Based Protein Products as an Alternative to Animal Protein: Technology, Properties, and Their Health Benefits

Plant-based protein products, represented by "plant meat", are gaining more and more popularity as an alternative to animal proteins. In the present review, we aimed to update the current status of research and industrial growth of plant-based protein products, including plant-based meat, plant-based eggs, plant-based dairy products, and plant-based protein emulsion foods. Moreover, the common processing technology of plant-based protein products and its principles, as well as the emerging strategies, are given equal importance. The knowledge gap between the use of plant proteins and animal proteins is also described, such as poor functional properties, insufficient texture, low protein biomass, allergens, and off-flavors, etc. Furthermore, the nutritional and health benefits of plant-based protein products are highlighted. Lately, researchers are committed to exploring novel plant protein resources and high-quality proteins with enhanced properties through the latest scientific and technological interventions, including physical, chemical, enzyme, fermentation, germination, and protein interaction technology.