Impact of gamma irradiation on the structural, functional and physicochemical properties of pea protein isolate.

IF 4 2区农林科学 Q1 AGRICULTURE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture Pub Date : 2026-10-01 Epub Date: 2026-06-22 DOI:10.1002/jsfa.70829

Madina Aitmagambetova, Rong Bai, Jing Xi, Aidana Rakhimova, Wu Ding

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: The properties of pea protein isolate (PPI), comprising a sustainable plant-derived protein for which the full functional potential in complex food matrices remains unrealized as a result of inherent limitations in food applications, are investigated in this work under gamma (γ) irradiation (0-10 kGy). The study used non-thermal physical treatment, namely γ irradiation, using ionizing radiation from a ⁶⁰Co source, which causes controlled structural rearrangements in macromolecules.

Results: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy deconvolution revealed irradiation-induced changes: partial unfolding of secondary structures (α-helix/β-sheet), whereas scanning electron microscopy showed fragmented morphology (4-8 kGy) and aggregated clusters. Functional properties peaked at 8 kGy with solubility, emulsifying activity and water/oil-holding capacity, whereas 10 kGy enhanced emulsion stability but reduced solubility because of disulfide cross-linking.

Conclusion: This study establishes 8 kGy as the critical threshold for balancing structural flexibility and functionality of PPI, providing a non-thermal strategy for tailoring plant proteins in next-generation foods. Physicochemical studies linked these changes to disulphide bond breaking, free sulfhydryl dynamics and fluorophore exposure. These results highlight γ irradiation as a flexible approach to modify PPI activity, hence balancing structural changes with particular dietary applications. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

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辐照对豌豆分离蛋白结构、功能和理化性质的影响。

背景：本研究在γ (γ)辐射（0-10 kGy）下研究了豌豆分离蛋白（PPI）的特性，该蛋白是一种可持续的植物源蛋白，由于食品应用的固有限制，其在复杂食品基质中的全部功能潜力尚未实现。该研究使用了非热物理处理，即γ辐照，利用60Co源的电离辐射，引起大分子的可控结构重排。结果：傅里叶变换红外光谱反褶积显示辐照引起的变化：二级结构（α-螺旋/β-片）部分展开，而扫描电镜显示破碎形态（4-8 kGy）和聚集簇。功能特性在8 kGy时达到峰值，具有溶解性、乳化活性和水/油保持能力，而10 kGy增强了乳液稳定性，但由于二硫交联而降低了溶解性。结论：本研究确立了8 kGy为平衡PPI结构灵活性和功能性的关键阈值，为下一代食品中植物蛋白的定制提供了一种非热策略。物理化学研究将这些变化与二硫键断裂、游离巯基动力学和荧光团暴露联系起来。这些结果强调，γ辐照是一种灵活的方法来改变PPI活性，从而平衡结构变化与特定的饮食应用。©2026化学工业协会。

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来源期刊

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 工程技术-农业综合

CiteScore

8.10

自引率

4.90%

发文量

634

审稿时长

3.1 months

期刊介绍： The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture publishes peer-reviewed original research, reviews, mini-reviews, perspectives and spotlights in these areas, with particular emphasis on interdisciplinary studies at the agriculture/ food interface. Published for SCI by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. SCI (Society of Chemical Industry) is a unique international forum where science meets business on independent, impartial ground. Anyone can join and current Members include consumers, business people, environmentalists, industrialists, farmers, and researchers. The Society offers a chance to share information between sectors as diverse as food and agriculture, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, materials, chemicals, environmental science and safety. As well as organising educational events, SCI awards a number of prestigious honours and scholarships each year, publishes peer-reviewed journals, and provides Members with news from their sectors in the respected magazine, Chemistry & Industry . Originally established in London in 1881 and in New York in 1894, SCI is a registered charity with Members in over 70 countries.