Effect of atmospheric pressure non-thermal pin to plate cold plasma on structural and functional properties of pea protein isolate

Abstract

Atmospheric Cold Plasma (ACP) has a proven track record for its non-thermal, minimal processing technology. The effects of ACP technology on the physicochemical and functional properties of Pea Protein Isolate (PPI) solutions. The results indicated significant changes in various properties of the PPI sample. The percentage of soluble protein increased by 66.94 % in the highest treatment compared to the untreated sample. A similar trend was observed for Emulsifying Activity and Emulsifying Stability, which showed significant increases of 25.27 % and 10.80 %, respectively. Foaming capacity and stability also increased by 57.28 % and 6.06 %, respectively. Additionally, beneficial changes in rheological behavior were observed, with increased viscosity during the cooling period from 95 °C to 40 °C, which has potential benefits for various food applications. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) results indicated that ACP treatment rearranged the conformation of PPI. The FTIR spectrum confirmed changes in the secondary structure, particularly in the amide I region (1600 - 1700 cm−1), following ACP treatment. This study demonstrates that ACP treatment can successfully modify the functionality of PPI.

Keywords

• Atmospheric cold plasma
• Pea protein isolate
• Non-thermal treatment
• Rheological behavior
• Secondary structure