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Plant proteins are being considered to become the most important protein source of the future, and to do so, they must be able to replace the animal-derived proteins currently in use as techno-functional food ingredients. This poses challenges because plant proteins are oftentimes storage proteins with a high molecular weight and low water solubility. One promising approach to overcome these limitations is the glycation of plant proteins. The covalent bonding between the proteins and different carbohydrates created via the initial stage of the Maillard reaction can improve the techno-functional characteristics of these proteins without the involvement of potentially toxic chemicals. However, compared to studies with animal-derived proteins, glycation studies on plant proteins are currently still underrepresented in literature. This review provides an overview of the existing studies on the glycation of the major groups of plant proteins with different carbohydrates using different preparation methods. Emphasis is put on the reaction conditions used for glycation as well as the modifications to physicochemical properties and techno-functionality. Different applications of these glycated plant proteins in emulsions, foams, films, and encapsulation systems are introduced. Another focus lies on the reaction chemistry of the Maillard reaction and ways to harness it for controlled glycation and to limit the formation of undesired advanced glycation products. Finally, challenges related to the controlled glycation of plant proteins to improve their properties are discussed.

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For more information refer to www.gelifesciences.com/handbooks 2-D Electrophoresis Principles and Methods GE Healthcare Life Sciences 2-D Electrophoresis using immobilized pH gradients Principles and Methods 80-6429-60 Affinity Chromatography

Glycation of proteins via the first stage of the Maillard reaction is capable of improving their stability but not economically feasible yet. This work reports the glycation of whey protein isolate (WPI) with maltodextrin at a high yield after heating electrospun fibers made from the reactants. Glycoconjugates were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and SDS-PAGE. The binding ratio between WPI and maltodextrin was assessed via the free amino groups. The molecular weight of the conjugates and the reaction yield were studied by size exclusion chromatography. The impact of different mass ratios between WPI and maltodextrin in the fibers (5:95, 10:90, 20:80, and 25:75 w/w) was investigated. With increasing WPI content, the binding ratio of maltodextrin decreased from ∼2.1 to ∼1.2. Preferably small polysaccharides (2-13 kDa) from the maltodextrin reacted. Protein specific reaction yields of up to 44.52 ± 7.46% w/w were demonstrated in all WPI-maltodextrin fibers after heating.

Artificial functional materials based on amyloid fibrils are proven to be a promising strategy toward functional materials. However, scaling‐up applications present sustainability concerns, as animal proteins are the main sources for fabricating amyloid fibrils. Plant‐protein‐based amyloid fibrils, a more sustainable alternative to animal proteins, are attracting increasing interests as building blocks in functional materials. Herein, 11 different sources from a wide range of plants are evaluated, and a comprehensive analysis of seven species of plant proteins, including kidney bean, black bean, cowpea, mung bean, chickpea, lentil, and pumpkin seed, with an excellent ability to form fibrils, is presented. A universal strategy for a diversity of plant protein extraction and fibrillization is applied. Flexible fibrils with a persistence length of ≈100 nm and rigid fibrils of several micrometers are discovered in 7S/8S and 11S subunits dominated protein, respectively. Structural evolution toward the β‐sheet content on these proteinaceous assemblies is characterized by thioflavin T (ThT) intensity, circular dichroism (CD) spectra, attenuated total reflectance‐Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectra, and typical wide angle X‐ray scattering (WAXS) spectra. Finally, their multifunctional applications are further explored and proven that these sustainable protein amyloids demonstrate excellent performance in renewable and degradable bioplastics, and in water purification membranes for heavy metal removal.

Food-grade fibers were fabricated from dispersions of maltodextrin and whey protein isolate (WPI) using needleless electrospinning. Two maltodextrins (DE 2) from different starch sources were used and the maltodextrin/WPI ratio was varied. Molecular weight, intrinsic viscosity, entanglement concentration, shear stability, and electrical conductivity were studied as function of maltodextrin type and mixing ratio and correlated to fiber production rate and morphology. The results show that a high molecular weight of the maltodextrin was beneficial to its spinnability. Waxy potato starch maltodextrin (P-MD) (M w 5 129.6 kDa) and WPI produced fibers with diameters between 1.40 and 1.67 mm at production rates up to 1.65 g/h; while the dispersions with waxy maize starch maltodextrin (M-MD) (M w 5 85.9 kDa) showed poor spinnability and ruptured fibers. P-MD/WPI dispersions had a higher viscosity and stronger shear thinning behavior attributed to a stronger entangled polymer network which is beneficial to electrospinning.