| Abstract | Thermal treatments are used to modify the functionality and sensory properties of proteins. Specifically, radio frequency (RF) heating is fast, scalable, penetrates deeply, and is suitable for treating low-moisture materials such as dry seeds. In this study, RF heating was applied as a pre-treatment to whole dry yellow pea seeds, and its impact was assessed on pea protein isolates produced from the seed. Global quantitative proteomics revealed a reduction in the abundance of proteins such as albumins, lipoxygenase, peroxidase, and non-specific lipid transfer protein, with a corresponding increase in globulins and lectins. Circular dichroism spectroscopy analysis indicated alterations in protein secondary structures. These RF-induced changes drastically affected the functional and nutritional properties of the protein isolates. At RF treatment temperature of 84 ± 3.5 °C, fat absorption capacity increased from 570 ± 19 % in the control treatment to 721 ± 19 % (p < 0.05), emulsion stability index increased from 19.5 ± 0.1 min to 21.2 ± 0.6 min (p < 0.05), foaming capacity increased from 168 ± 1.5 % to 174 ± 2.6 % (p < 0.05) and foam expansion increased from 869 ± 2 % to 892 ± 2.1 % (p < 0.05). These changes were accompanied by a downgrading of nutritional properties due to the depletion of sulfur amino acid-containing albumins. |
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