Recent advances in modification of plant-based proteins for improved encapsulation performance

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Biopolymer Science
• Sustainable Materials

Background:

• Encapsulation protects sensitive compounds from environmental factors like heat and light.
• Biopolymers, particularly proteins, are crucial wall materials for encapsulation.
• Increasing demand for plant-based nutrition and sustainability drives interest in plant proteins.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the application of plant-based proteins (PBPs) in encapsulation technologies.
• To discuss methods for improving the functional and encapsulation properties of PBPs.
• To highlight the potential of modified PBPs in delivering bioactive compounds.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on plant protein modification techniques for encapsulation.
• Analysis of physical (e.g., sonication), chemical (e.g., Maillard conjugation), and enzymatic (e.g., hydrolysis) modifications.
• Examination of combined modification strategies, such as pH-shifting with ultrasonication.

Main Results:

• Plant proteins are sustainable, cost-effective, biodegradable, and biocompatible alternatives to animal proteins.
• Functional limitations of PBPs (solubility, emulsifying, gelling, film-forming) can be overcome through modifications.
• Specific methods like sonication, Maillard conjugation, and enzymatic hydrolysis show promise in enhancing PBP encapsulation performance.

Conclusions:

• Modification techniques are essential for optimizing plant protein functionality in encapsulation.
• Combined modification methods offer a promising avenue for superior encapsulation performance of PBPs.
• Further optimization of process parameters is crucial for the successful industrial application of modified PBPs.