A quantitative characterization of seeds from 59 pea (Pisum sativum L.) lines and relative taxa with various external characteristics and wide geographical origin was performed to explore the genetic variation of pea concerning its starch and protein contents and globulin composition. Pea lines, which produce round, wrinkled, flat, and round-dimpled seeds, have starch as the major reserve, with an average content of 46%. Protein content varied from 13.7 to 30.7% of the seed dry matter, with an overall average of 22.3%. Densitometric quantification of the individual globulins (legumin, vicilin, convicilin, and globulin-related proteins) based on SDS-PAGE gels showed no lines lacking any particular globulin. Among the lines tested, variation was shown in both their total globulins content and their globulin composition. The total globulin content ranged from 49.2 to 81.8% of the total pea protein extract (TPPE). Legumin content varied between 5.9 and 24.5% of the TPPE. Vicilin was the most abundant protein of pea, and its content varied between 26.3 and 52.0% of the TPPE. Both processed and nonprocessed vicilins occurred. The processed vicilin was the predominant one, with values between 17.8 and 40.8%, whereas the nonprocessed ones constituted between 3.1 and 13.5% of the TPPE. Convicilin was the least abundant globulin, and its content ranged from 3.9 to 8.3%. Finally, the globulin-related proteins were present in amounts ranging from 2.8 to 17.3%. They were less abundant in comparison with legumin and vicilin, but they showed the largest relative variation of the four globulin classes. Correlations between the different external characteristics and globulin composition were determined. Comparison with soybean showed that pea lines show more variety in the abundance of globulin proteins, enabling a wider range of food application.

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To explore the potentially available functional properties of beta-lactoglobulin in, for example, the processing of food products, it is important to isolate the protein by a procedure that avoids all possible denaturing conditions, such as low pH, high ionic strength, or low or elevated temperatures that could cause the protein to undergo irreversible conformational changes. In this work, a mild isolation protocol for beta-lactoglobulin from bovine milk is presented, applicable to semi large-scale isolations (50 to 200 g). The protein could be isolated with a high efficiency (>80%) and a good purity (>98%). Biochemical characterization of the material demonstrated no lactosylation of the protein, nor the formation of irreversibly associated dimers. Also, no proteose peptones could be detected. The ability of beta-lactoglobulin to undergo conformational changes is studied by far and near-ultraviolet circular dichroism and differential scanning calorimetry. A "global" unfolding of the protein is detected around 72 (tertiary level) and 77 degrees C (secondary level). The dimer-monomer dissociation occurring around 52 degrees C could also be monitored at a secondary structural level. Remarkably, a low temperature transition around 30 degrees C was observed, where approximately 10 beta-stranded residues unfold cooperatively, not been reported previously. This low temperature transition is irreversible at temperatures higher than 35 degrees C or upon freezing the material at -20 degrees C. The addition of 20% glycerol could prevent this irreversible conformational change. The effect of the low temperature transition on the protein's functionality remains to be investigated.

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