Structural and functional properties of lactoferrin modified with carboxymethyl chitosan: Physical mixing and...

Protein-polysaccharide combinations frequently demonstrate functional attributes that surpass those of the individual biopolymers. This study aimed to elucidate the physicochemical, structural, and functional properties of two types of lactoferrin (LF)-carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) complexes formed by physical mixing and enzymatic glycosylation. LF and CMCS interactions were characterized using phase behavior, particle size, and zeta-potential analysis. The results indicated the formation of an electrostatic complex with a size of <150 nm at pH 8. SDS-PAGE and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed that TGase catalyzed the cross-linking and glycosylation of LF, with the extent of glycosylation dependent on the concentration of CMCS. The introduction of CMCS has been observed to result in alterations to the secondary, tertiary, and microstructure of LF, which impact the functional characteristics of LF. The incorporation of CMCS markedly enhances the thermal stability of LF, with a denaturation temperature of 126.66 °C. The addition of CMCS (0.5 wt%) to LF resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) improvement in the emulsifying activity of LF, but it did not improve its foaming properties. This study offers novel ideas and approaches for developing protein and polysaccharide complexes with improved functional properties, thereby expanding the potential applications of edible proteins.