Yellow horn as an alternative source of plant-based protein: The effects of high-intensity ultrasonication treatment on its physicochemical properties and emulsifying properties

Abstract

In this study, the impacts of high-intensity ultrasonication treatment (0, 150, 300, 450, 600 W) on the physicochemical and functional properties of yellow horn protein (YHP) were investigated. YHP dispersion (10 mg/mL) was treated with ultrasonication (20 kHz) at 0, 150, 300, 450, and 600 W for 10 min. The results showed that the physicochemical properties of YHP were improved with the increase of ultrasonic power, manifested by the increased surface hydrophobicity, together with the reduced interfacial tension. After ultrasonication, the solubility of YHP increased from 43.1% to 73.0%. In addition, with the increase of ultrasonic power, the emulsifying properties of YHP were also improved, including emulsifying activity index, emulsifying stability index, and percentage of adsorbed protein. After ultrasonication treatment, the particle size and turbidity of YHP dispersion were reduced, so the emulsion particles stabilized by YHP became smaller and the distribution was more uniform. As a result, emulsions stabilized by ultrasonicated YHP had higer storage stability. The results indicated that ultrasonication is a valuable method for improving the physicochemical and emulsifying properties of YHP, which provided a theoretical basis for YHP as a natural plant-based functional component in the food processing.