Effect of hydrocavitation treatment on physicochemical and functional properties of soy protein isolate

A hydrocavitation reactor was employed to treat diluted samples of soy protein isolate (SPI) at room temperature for 0, 60, and 90-minute intervals, revealing significant improvements in vitro enzymatic digestion, trypsin inhibition, water holding, oil holding, emulsification, and solubility properties. The secondary protein structure underwent significant modifications, with an increase in surface area, etching phenomena, and structural aggregation. The extent of amino acid digestion for hydrocavitation-treated proteins exhibited an augmentation from 180.9 % ± 1.429 μg/mL to 189.5 % ± 0.556 μg/mL. Additionally, the water holding capacity of the treated proteins increased from 3.51 % ± 0.131 to 3.78 % ± 0.097, while there was a corresponding decrease in oil holding capacity. Solubility showed a noteworthy rise from 24.70 % ± 0.042 to 38.23 % ± 0.031 following the hydrocavitation treatment. These findings underscore the potential of hydrocavitation technology as an appealing avenue for non-thermal, chemical-free food processing, enhancing product quality and digestibility through minimal processing techniques.