Basic electrolyzed water coupled with ultrasonic treatment improves the functional properties and digestibility of Antarctic krill proteins. (December 2022) - Li, Yufeng
Graphical abstract: Highlights: Basic electrolyzed water coupled with ultrasonic (USBEW) modify protein was proposed; USBEW protected the active groups of Antarctic krill proteins (AKPs) from oxidation; USBEW significantly improved the solubility and decreased the particle size; Functional Properties of AKPs was greatly improved by USBEW treatment; The in vitro digestibility of AKPs treated by USBEW was significantly increased. Abstract: This study firstly constructed a new method of basic electrolyzed water coupled with ultrasonic (USBEW) to creatively modify the Antarctic krill proteins (AKPs), and its effects on amino acid composition, structural and functional properties, as well as in vitro digestibility of AKPs were evaluated. Results showed that BEW inhibited the production of 1 O2 and OH radicals from ultrasonic treatment. In comparison with the deionized water coupled with ultrasonic (USDW) treatment, the USBEW treatment effectively reduced the oxidation of active groups (carbonyl and free sulfhydryl) in the side chain of amino acids of the AKPs, and it also obviously decreased the particle size (18.6 nm), improved the solubility (13.2 %), increased the molecules flexibility and the surface hydrophobicity of AKPs. All these advantageous changes contributed to the improved foam stability, foam capacity and emulsifying properties of AKPs. More importantly, the in vitro digestibility (84.6 %) of AKPs treated by USBEW was significantly higher than that any control samples. Our results prove that the USBEW treatment is a valid and promising method to exploit novel marine protein products with a high nutritional quality.