Plant protein - polysaccharide interactions and their structure controlling role in foods

这项研究计划的长期战略是更好地了解食品级植物蛋白和多糖之间的相互作用，以及它们作为食品成分的结构控制作用。蛋白质-多糖相互作用在控制食品体系、涂料和包装材料的结构、质地和稳定性方面发挥着重要作用。为了控制这些相互作用以获得所需的功能（例如，凝胶/成膜，乳化，发泡等），需要对影响这些相互作用的因素有更深入的了解。尽管已经有大量的工作涉及牛奶蛋白和多糖，但有关植物蛋白与多糖的相互作用及其对功能的影响的知识是有限的。尽管我的研究小组在这一领域做出了贡献，但由于消费者对动物源性产品安全性的担忧日益增加，以及他们基于道德和宗教禁令/决定的饮食偏好，因此寻找以植物为基础的非大豆食品替代品（例如酸性饮料，乳化剂产品）具有重大意义。在接下来的五年（2014-2019）里，豌豆蛋白和果胶相互作用的相关机制将在引力驱动的条件下进行研究，它们的组装成更大的结构，以及它们在酸性溶液（如酸性饮料）和水包油食品乳剂模型中的稳定作用。将对果胶进行改性，以改变多糖的结构和表面性质，从而更好地调整和控制它们与豌豆蛋白的相互作用，以优化它们作为潜在混合食品配料的性能。该项目的成果可能会改善豌豆蛋白的功能，并提高其作为食品成分的利用率。作为该计划的一部分获得的基础知识也可以过渡到其他领域，如制药，化妆品和生物医学领域的控制交付应用。该项目中的高级HQP培训将为学员提供有关食品蛋白质、成分相互作用和食品系统的广泛基础知识，以及用于研究它们的先进仪器；为学术界、政府或食品行业的职业生涯做好HQP准备。

The long-term strategy for this research program is to better understand the interactions between food-grade plant proteins and polysaccharides, and their structure-controlling role as food ingredients. Protein-polysaccharide interactions play significant roles in controlling structure, texture and stability in food systems, coatings and packaging materials. In order to control these interactions to give desired functionality (e.g., gel/film-forming, emulsifying, foaming, etc.), a greater understanding of the factors affecting these interactions is required. Although there has been a significant amount of work involving milk proteins and polysaccharides, knowledge relating to the interactions plant proteins with polysaccharides and its impact on functionality are limited. Although my research group has made contributions in this area, the search for plant-based non-soy alternatives in foods (e.g., acidic beverages, emulsion-based products) is of significant interest due increased consumer concerns over the safety of animal-derived products, and their dietary preferences based on moral and religious prohibitions/decisions. Over the next five years (2014-2019), mechanisms associated with pea protein and pectin interactions will be studied under conditions driven by attractive forces, their assembly into larger structures, and their stabilizing role in acidic solutions (e.g., acidic beverages) and model oil-in-water food emulsions will be examined. Pectin will be modified to alter the structure and surface properties of the polysaccharides to better tailor and control their interactions with pea proteins to optimize their performance as potential blended food ingredients. Outcomes arising from this program could lead to improved functionality of pea proteins, and greater utilization as ingredients for food. Fundamental knowledge gained as part of this program could also be transitioned into other fields such as, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and biomedical arenas for controlled delivery applications. Advanced HQP training within this program will provide trainees with extensive fundamental knowledge of food proteins, ingredient interactions and food systems, and the advanced instruments used to study them; preparing HQP for careers in academia, government or the food industry.