Comparative study of potato protein concentrates extracted using ammonium sulfate and isoelectric precipitation

In this study, effects of NaCl concentrations (0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 M) and pH (3.0, 5.0, 7.0, and 8.0) on the physico-chemical and functional properties of potato protein concentrates extracted from potato fruit juice (PFJ) using ammonium sulfate precipitation (ASP) and isoelectric precipitation (IEP) were investigated. The total polyphenol content of potato protein concentrates extracted by IEP (IEPP) was 2.5 times of that of potato protein concentrates extracted by ASP (ASPP), which resulted in the color of IEPP darker than that of ASPP. More protein fractions (74, 62, and 35 kDa) were found in IEPP compared to ASPP. ASPP exhibited higher solubility than IEPP. The emulsifying properties of ASPP and IEPP increased along with the increasing NaCl concentration. ASPP and IEPP showed the lowest emulsifying properties and foaming ability at pH 5.0. While the foaming stability of ASPP and IEPP achieved the maximum and minimum at pH 5.0, respectively. Two endothermic peaks were observed in ASPP at pH 3.0, 8.0, and higher NaCl concentration (0.6 M), while more than two endothermic peaks were observed in IEPP at all NaCl concentrations (0.2-1.0 M) and pH values (3.0, 5.0, 7.0, and 8.0). The glutamic acid concentration of ASPP and aspartic acid concentration of IEPP were the highest, while histidine was the lowest according to the amino acid profile of both ASPP and IEPP. In terms of an essential amino acid index with respect to a reference protein of FAO/WHO, the nutritional values of IEPP were higher than those of ASPP.