334: Effect of High-Voltage Cold Plasma on Physicochemical, Functional, and Protein Quality Parameters of White Lupin (Lupinus Albus) Protein Ingredients

Introduction

High-voltage cold plasma (HVCP) is an emerging non-thermal technology that has been considered a promising tool for modifying protein ingredients. The interactions of cold plasma reactive species with protein lead to dimerization, oxidation, deamidation, nitration, sulfoxidation, dehydrogenation, and/or hydroxylation of protein backbones and side chains of amino acids which are hypothesized to change physiochemical, functional, and protein quality parameters of protein ingredients.

Methods

The effects of the HVCP on the physiochemical properties, techno functionality, and protein quality of white lupin protein isolate (WLPI) were investigated. HVCP was generated by using an HVCP jet generator (20 kV) and argon gas (3 L/min). Deep eutectic solvent-extracted (DES-LPI) and alkaline-extracted lupin protein isolate (ALK-LPI) solutions at a concentration of 2% (w/v) were subjected to HVCP for varying times (5–10 min). A completely randomized design (CRD) was used throughout the study. Data (n = 3) were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were compared by Tukey’s test.

Results

Total carbonyl content was increased with the HVCP treatment time (p < 0.05). The surface hydrophobicity was increased for DES-LPI and decreased for ALK-LPI after the HVCP exposure, which explained the decreased oil holding capacity (p < 0.05). Water holding capacity was increased when 10 min HVCP treatment was applied, while foaming capacities at pH 7 and 9 were initially increased when 5 min treatment was implemented, followed by a subsequent decrease with increasing the treatment time (p < 0.05). The least gelation concentration was reduced after 5 min HVCP treatment and remained the same after 10 min exposure (p < 0.05). HVCP treatment increased α-helix content while β-sheet and β-turn contents were decreased, suggesting increased functionality, stability, and interactions with other molecules. The comparative reaction experiment demonstrated that most of the amino acids were preferentially decreased by the HVCP treatment. However, in-vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) and in vitro protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (IV-PDCAAS) were significantly increased after the HVCP treatment (p < 0.05).

Significance

HVCP technology can be used as a promising technology for protein ingredient modification, which can meet the demand for improving the techno-functional properties and protein quality.

Authors: Harshani Nadeeshani and Nandika Bandara