Emulsifying and physicochemical properties of soy hull hemicelluloses-soy protein isolate conjugates

Protein-polysaccharide conjugates could potentially combine the excellent emulsification properties of the protein with the stabilizing effect of the polysaccharide. The investigation aimed to prepare soy hull hemicelluloses-soy protein isolate (SHH-SPI) conjugates by Maillard reaction in a controlled dry state condition and assess the suitability of the conjugates in stabilizing oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion. Results indicated that Maillard reactions occurred between amino groups and carbonyl, resulting in consumption of some functional groups and the appearance of new groups in the conjugates. The conjugates of SHH-SPI obtained at the SPI content of 30% and 40% exhibited substantially improved emulsification capacity in maintaining the physical stability of O/W emulsions for a prolong storage period at heat treatment, compared with SHH and SPI alone. Overall, these results demonstrated that SHH and SPI could generate novel emulsions with improved physical and chemical stability by Mallsird reaction for application in food and pharmaceutical products.