Extraction and characterization of surface-active compounds from Camellia oleifera seed meal

Camellia oleifera seed meal, an agricultural byproduct rich in crude proteins and polysaccharides, is currently underutilized, primarily serving as low-value feed material. To explore its potential for high-value applications, Camellia oleifera seed meal extracts (CME) was developed in this study, and the effects of pH (1-11) on its structural and functional properties were investigated. Structural analysis identified CME as a protein-polysaccharide complex (40-50 kDa) with enhanced thermal stability (139.23 °C) compared to conventional protein isolates. CME exhibited pH-dependent functional characteristics, with the lowest solubility, foaming capacity, and antioxidant activity observed near its isoelectric point (pl 2.57). In contrast, under neutral and alkaline conditions, CME displayed favorable functional properties, including emulsifying activity indices ranging from 9.18 ± 0.08 to 12.2 ± 0.27 m²/g. These findings provide fundamental insights into the pH-modulated functional behavior of CME, supporting its potential utilization as surface-active compounds in food industry applications.