Effect of co-solute concentration on the diffusion of linoleic acid from whey protein matrices

Constitution and reconstitution of microcapsules with high diacylglycerol oil loading capacity based on whey protein isolate / octenyl succinic anhydride starch/ inulin matrix

The aim of this study was to constitute microcapsule systems with high oil loading capacity by octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) starch, whey protein isolate (WPI) and inulin (IN) substrates to provide a new method for encapsulating diacylglycerol oil. Specifically, this study characterizes the physicochemical properties and reconstitution capacity of highly oil loading diacylglycerol microcapsules by comparing the wall encapsulation capacity of the binary wall system OSA-IN, WPI-IN and the ternary wall system WPI-OSA (1:9, 5:5, 9:1)-IN for diacylglycerol oil. It was found that WPI-OSA (5:5)-IN significantly improved the water solubility of microcapsules (86.11 %) compared to OSA-IN microcapsules, and the addition of WPI made the surface of microcapsules smoother and increased the thermal stability and solubility of microcapsules; the addition of OSA enhanced the wettability of microcapsules compared to WPI-IN. In addition, WPI-OSA (5:5)-IN microcapsules have the highest encapsulation efficiency (96.03 %), high emulsion stability after reconstitution, and the smallest droplet size (212.83 nm) after 28 d. Therefore, the WPI-OSA-IN composite system is suitable for the production of highly oil-loaded microencapsulated systems with excellent reconstitution ability to expand the application of diacylglycerol oil.

Molecular Functionality of Plant Proteins from Low- to High-Solid Systems with Ligand and Co-Solute

In the food industry, proteins are regarded as multifunctional systems whose bioactive hetero-polymeric properties are affected by physicochemical interactions with the surrounding components in formulations. Due to their nutritional value, plant proteins are increasingly considered by the new product developer to provide three-dimensional assemblies of required structure, texture, solubility and interfacial/bulk stability with physical, chemical or enzymatic treatment. This molecular flexibility allows them to form systems for the preservation of fresh food, retention of good nutrition and interaction with a range of microconstituents. While, animal- and milk-based proteins have been widely discussed in the literature, the role of plant proteins in the development of functional foods with enhanced nutritional profile and targeted physiological effects can be further explored. This review aims to look into the molecular functionality of plant proteins in relation to the transport of bioactive ingredients and interaction with other ligands and proteins. In doing so, it will consider preparations from low- to high-solids and the effect of structural transformation via gelation, phase separation and vitrification on protein functionality as a delivery vehicle or heterologous complex. Applications for the design of novel functional foods and nutraceuticals will also be discussed.

Understanding How High-Protein Bar Formulations Impact Their Mechanical and Wear Behaviors Using Response Surface Analysis

High-protein bars are popular snack items that can have significant processing issues like sticking, clogging, and cold flow. These issues are primarily problematic during formulation development because current predictive testing is reliant on highly empirical bench tests or pilot plant testing, which is expensive and time-consuming. Wear testing, which has been used in the medical field to evaluate the lifetime of soft materials used in joint replacements, may have promise in evaluating food processing ability. Wear and rheological testing were used to better understand high-protein bar processing ability. The objective of this study was to determine bench-level instrumental tests that would be able to predict processing ability for a given formulation. Two response surface designs were used for formulations of model bar systems comprising whey protein isolate (WPI), high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and either canola oil or vegetable shortening. Ingredient formulation affected processing ability, wear behaviors, and rheological behaviors. Formulations with high ratios of WPI to HFCS and either shortening or oil exhibited good processing ability, lower wear rates, and increased elastic-type behavior, indicating that processing ability is related to formulation. The results of this study indicated that material mechanical and wear behaviors were related to processing ability; both were controlled by formulation. Because it was shown to be a good indicator of high-protein bar processing ability, wear testing of food has potential significance in benchtop testing. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Understanding of how high-protein bar formulations impact their mechanical behaviors can help streamline their formulation development and scaling from bench to industrial production. Processing ability may be predicted with a quick wear test, providing a rapid testing method that requires little sample for evaluating bar formulations.