Abstract
Protein–polysaccharide complexes have received increasing attention as delivery systems to improve the stability and bioavailability of multiple bioactive compounds. However, deep and comprehensive understanding of the interactions between proteins and polysaccharides is still required for enhancing their loading efficiency and facilitating targeted delivery. In this study, we fabricated a type of protein–polysaccharide complexes using food-grade materials of β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) and gum arabic (GA). The formation and characteristics of β-Lg–GA complexes were investigated by determining the influence of pH and other factors on their turbidity, zeta-potential, particle size and rheology. Results demonstrated that the β-Lg and GA suspension experienced four regimes including co-soluble polymers, soluble complexes, insoluble complexes and co-soluble polymers when the pH ranged from 1.2 to 7 and that β-Lg–GA complexes formed in large quantities at pH 4.2. An increased ratio of β-Lg in the mixtures was found to promote the formation of β-Lg and GA complexes, and the optimal β-Lg/GA ratio was found to be 2:1. The electrostatic interactions between the NH3+ group in β-Lg and the COO− group in GA were confirmed to be the main driving forces for the formation of β-Lg/GA complexes. The formed structure also resulted in enhanced thermal stability and viscosity. These findings provide critical implications for the application of β-lactoglobulin and gum arabic complexes in food research and industry.
Highlights
Protein−polysaccharide complexes have received increasing attention since they possesses multiple advantages over other delivery systems [1]
Effect of pH on Turbidity of β-Lg−gum arabic (GA) Complexes. Since both β-Lg and GA are weak biological electrolytes, pH can be the main factor contributing to the formation of β-Lg−GA complexes
There were four critical points of pH values. pHc was about 5.6, which was the starting point for the formation of β-Lg−GA complexes. pHφ 1 was about 4.8, which indicated the sign of forming insoluble complexes. pHφ 2 was about 2.6, which represented complete dissociation of insoluble complexes
Summary
Protein−polysaccharide complexes have received increasing attention since they possesses multiple advantages over other delivery systems [1]. The preparation process is relatively simple, usually originating from electrostatic interactions between two polymers with opposite charges. These formed soluble complexes may further aggregate and precipitate in large quantities [2]. Proteins and polysaccharides are mostly food-grade and are easy to obtain If controlled well, they will exert unique functions and their applications can be very broad in the food industry [3], such as delivery systems for targeted delivering and controlling the release of bioactive compounds [4,5], interface stabilizers and surfactants for emulsions [6,7], as well as surface rheology modulators [8].
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