Content area
With increasing attention to health, plant protein products have gained significant market potential due to their growing consumer demand. This study researches the influence of ultrasonic treatment on the structure and function of pea–oat composite protein gel (POPG) to enhance its elasticity and thermal stability. The ultrasonic treatment parameters were regulated to power (200–600 W for 30 min) and ultrasonic time (20–40 min at 400 W) during the preparation of POPG, and the properties and structure, including gel strength, rheological analysis, water-holding capacity (WHC), thermal characteristics, fluorescence performance, and microstructure, were further evaluated. The results showed that the POPG samples exhibited optimal values in WHC, gel strength, surface hydrophobicity, free sulfhydryl amount, and endogenous fluorescence at 400 W ultrasonic for 30 min compared with the untreated POPG. Rheological analysis indicated that POPG displayed the highest storage modulus and improved viscoelasticity. Ultrasonication resulted in an augmentation in β-sheet content, hence creating a more compact network structure. DSC and TGA revealed improved thermal stability, while SEM and CLSM exhibited a homogeneous and firm gel structure of POPG. This research offers the theory that ultrasonic technology can improve the performance of plant-based composite gels.
Details
; Dong Jilin 1 ; Li, Yunlong 3 1 School of Food and Biological Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002, China; [email protected] (S.W.); [email protected] (M.L.); [email protected] (R.S.)
2 School of Food and Health Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450044, China; [email protected]
3 China Institute of Functional Food of Shanxi, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taiyuan 030031, China