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、涂层和包装材料的结构、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提供所需的功能(例如，凝胶/成膜、乳化、起泡等)，需要更多地了解影响这些相互作用的因素。虽然已经有大量的工作涉及牛奶蛋白和多糖，但关于植物蛋白与多糖的相互作用及其对功能的影响的知识有限。尽管我的研究小组在这一领域做出了贡献，但在食品(如酸性饮料、乳化液产品)中寻找以植物为基础的非大豆替代品是非常有意义的，因为消费者对动物源性产品的安全性越来越关注，他们的饮食偏好是基于道德和宗教禁令/决定。在接下来的五年(2014-2019年)，将在吸引力驱动的条件下研究豌豆蛋白和果胶相互作用的机制，将它们组装成更大的结构，并将研究它们在酸性溶液(例如，酸性饮料)和模型水包油食品乳状液中的稳定作用。果胶将被修饰，以改变多糖的结构和表面性质，以更好地定制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。这一计划的结果可能会改善豌豆蛋白质的功能，并更多地将其用作食品成分。作为该计划的一部分而获得的基础知识也可以过渡到其他领域，如用于受控递送应用的制药、化妆品和生物医学领域。该计划内的高级HQP培训将为学员提供广泛的食品蛋白质、配料相互作用和食品系统的基础知识，以及用于研究它们的先进仪器；为学术、政府或食品行业的职业生涯准备HQP。

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.