pH-shifted synergistic ultrasound-modified extraction of Hericium erinaceus protein

In this paper, we investigated the effects of different conditions on the extraction rate of Hericium erinaceus protein (HEP), determined the optimal extraction process for alkaline extraction of Hericium erinaceus (HE) protein, and explored the effects of ultrasound-assisted pH-shift treatment on HEP activity. In this study, the extraction rate of HEP demonstrated an initial increase followed by a decline with the rising pH concentration. It also exhibited a gradual increase that plateaued with the increment in the material-liquid ratio, extraction time, and extraction temperature. The response surface methodology was employed to determine the optimal conditions for the traditional alkaline extraction of HE protein, which were identified as an extraction temperature of 66°C, an extraction pH of 12.5, and a material-liquid ratio of 1:25. Furthermore, ultrasound-assisted pH-shift treatment significantly enhanced the sodium taurocholate binding, sodium glycoconjugate binding, and cholesterol inhibitory ability of HEP at a sonication time of 31 min, a sonication temperature of 40°C, and an ultrasound intensity of 30 W/L. This study offers a theoretical foundation for advancing green and efficient protein modification technologies and serves as a crucial basis for the industrial application of functional edible and medicinal fungal protein products.