title: Emulsifying properties of chemically deamidated corn (Zea mays) gluten meal.
abstract: Corn gluten meal is a by-product of starch production that is readily available. Corn protein isolates have limited applications due to their hydrophobic nature, low solubility and limited functionality as emulsifiers. In this study, a mild acidic treatment of corn gluten meal was performed in order to achieve deamidation of asparagine and glutamine residues and modify the interfacial behavior of this byproduct. A 0.1 N HCl treatment for 6 h at 70 °C rendered a deamidation degree of 20.4%, which increased the emulsification activity index of corn gluten meal from 6.8 to 16.8 m(2)/g protein, with a remarkable increase in emulsion stability from 0 to 90.6% oil retention. Proteins participating in the emulsion were separated by SDS-PAGE and the main polypeptides were identified as alpha and beta-zeins. After deamidation, protein dissociation and unfolding due to the obtained negative charges resulted in enhanced functionality.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Alimentos y Biotecnología. Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cabra
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Quirasco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farres
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galvez
mesh_terms: D003641:Deamination; D045703:Emulsifying Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D005504:Food Analysis; D005983:Glutens / Q000737:chemistry*; D010940:Plant Proteins; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D045703:Emulsifying Agents; D010940:Plant Proteins; D005983:Glutens