Effects of ultrasound synergized with microwave on structure and functional properties of transglutaminase-crosslinked whey protein isolate

In the present study, ultrasound (400 W, U), microwave heating (75 celcius for 15 min, M) and ultrasound synergized with microwave heating (UM) pretreatments of whey protein isolate (WPI) were applied to investigate and compare their influence on structure, physicochemical and functional characteristic of transglutaminase (TGase)-induced WPI. From the results of size exclusion chromatography, it could be seen that all three physical pre-treatments could promote the formation of polymers in TGase cross-linked WPI, whose polymer amounts were increased by the order of U, UM and M pretreatment. Among three physical methods, M pretreatment had the strongest effect on structure and functional characteristics of TGase-induced WPI. Furthermore, compared with TGase-induced WPI, alpha-helix and beta-turn of M-treated TGase-induced WPI (M-WPI-TGase) were reduced by 7.86% and 2.93%, whereas its beta-sheet and irregular curl were increased by 15.37% and 7.23%. Zeta potential, emulsion stability and foaming stability of M-WPI-TGase were increased by 7.8%, 59.27% and 28.95%, respectively. This experiment exhibited that M was a more effective pretreatment method than U, UM for WPI, which could promote its reaction with TGase and improve its functional properties.

Automated summary

In this study, different pretreatment methods including ultrasound, microwave heating, and ultrasound synergized with microwave heating were applied to investigate the influence on structure, physicochemical, and functional characteristic of transglutaminase-induced whey protein isolate (WPI). The results showed that microwave heating had the strongest effect on the structure and functional characteristics of WPI, leading to improved emulsion stability and foaming stability.