Impact of inulin molecular weight on physiochemical and techno-functional properties of Chlorella protein isolate and...

With the rise of alternative proteins, microalgae are on the verge of commercialization to meet global demand for protein-rich foods. The functionality of alternative protein becomes crucial for protein-fortified product development. Modification via Maillard-type glycation can be employed to improve functional properties. Maillard reaction is a scalable, fast and simple method for enhancing functionality.

The findings indicated that glycation had altered the surface morphology and increased particle size. With varying molecular weight of inulin higher solubility was observed, particularly for sample CHP 1:1L at pH 4.0, which demonstrated highest increase in solubility compared to the native protein, overall, solubility remained moderate. Moreover, high-molecular-weight inulin has positively affected emulsification stability for glycoconjugates of both Chlorella protein isolate and hydrolysates, H-CHP 1:1H demonstrated most stability at pH 5.0 with an emulsification stability index (ESI) of 2203 min (1.5 days). Notably, the antioxidant capacity of both CHP and H-CHP conjugates was high, with CHP 1:1M showing a Trolox equivalent of 0.33 mg mL^-1 mg^-1 (a 450% increase) and H-CHP 1:1L showing 0.61 mg mL^-1 mg^-1 (a 308% increase), respectively.

The results obtained from this study expand understanding of glycoconjugates' structure and function behaviour, promising its utility as functional ingredients. The enhanced emulsification stability, water/oil holding and antioxidant ability of these conjugates promises its application in structured matrices, emulsion and fat containing formulations. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.