Li Shanshan, Peng Shiqin, Wei Lin, Li Jingyan, Lu Yuanyuan, Ma Xiaobin, Hu Fuliang
College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Chinese Herbal Medicines, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Chinese Herbal Medicines, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Enshi 445000, China.
Food Chem. 2025 Nov 15;492(Pt 3):145596. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.145596. Epub 2025 Jul 17.
In this study, whey protein isolate was conjugated with polyphenols via free radical reactions, using ultrasound treatment to enhance the bio-functional properties of the resulting conjugates. Ultrasound at 270 W for 20 min significantly improved the degree of conjugation compared to the traditional free radical method, as evidenced by higher levels of total phenolic and flavonoid content. Structural analysis revealed that the conjugates produced with ultrasound exhibited reduced α-helix content but increased β-turn and random coil structures, along with enhanced fluorescence intensity and surface hydrophobicity. Furthermore, the incorporation of ultrasound in the conjugation process significantly enhanced antioxidant activity and functional properties (p < 0.05), including thermostability, water solubility and emulsifying stability. These results highlight the potential of ultrasound-assisted conjugation to enhance protein-polyphenol interactions, opening new possibilities for applications in the food industry.
在本研究中，通过自由基反应将分离乳清蛋白与多酚结合，并使用超声处理来增强所得共轭物的生物功能特性。与传统自由基方法相比，270W超声处理20分钟显著提高了结合程度，总酚和类黄酮含量更高即证明了这一点。结构分析表明，超声处理产生的共轭物α-螺旋含量降低，但β-转角和无规卷曲结构增加，同时荧光强度和表面疏水性增强。此外，在结合过程中引入超声显著增强了抗氧化活性和功能特性（p<0.05），包括热稳定性、水溶性和乳化稳定性。这些结果突出了超声辅助结合增强蛋白质-多酚相互作用的潜力，为食品工业中的应用开辟了新的可能性。
