Impact of cold plasma-assisted Non-thermal deamidation and glycosylation on the construction of sugar derivative-zein conjugates for enhancing pickering foam stability: Technical principles and molecular interactions

• Published in: Food research international 2025-01, Vol.200, p.115442, Article 115442
• Main Authors: Qu, Zihan, Yang, Tongliang, Zhao, Lingxuan, Zhang, Yifu, Li, Shuhong, Chen, Guiyun, Chen, Ye
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adsorption; air; cold; Cold plasma; consumer demand; Deamidation; drainage; foams; Food Handling - methods; food research; Glycosylation; hydrogen; Hydrophilic reassembly; hydrophilicity; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; hydrophobicity; maltitol; mannitol; micelles; microscopy; Pickering foamed food; Plasma Gases - chemistry; stevioside; sucralose; Sugars - chemistry; water solubility; Zein; Zein - chemistry
• ISSN: 0963-9969; 1873-7145; 1873-7145
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.115442

[Display omitted] •CPDG technology efficiently improved zein interfacial properties.•CPDG induced covalent interaction between sugars and zein, forming stable conjugates.•Ste, rich in hydroxyl groups, easily bound with zein via CPDG treatment.•Chain-like conjugates formed high flexibility stabilized Pickering foamed food. There is an urgent need for stable, plant-based Pickering foams to address the growing consumer demand for sustainable, low-calorie, aerated sweet foods. This study employed a cold plasma-assisted deamidation and glycosylation (CPDG) approach to promote hydrophilic reassembly of zein, resulting in the formation of sugar derivative-zein conjugates. This was accomplished by coupling deamidated zein with polyhydroxy sugars including sucralose (Suc), maltitol (Mal), mannitol (Man), and stevioside (Ste). The research focused on elucidating the technical mechanisms of conjugate formation and the molecular interactions that enhance foam performance. The CPDG-treated conjugates demonstrated substantially increased foamability (140.00–223.33 %) and foam stability (28.57–105.07 %). Furthermore, microscopy (100 × magnification) revealed enhanced bubble counts (+13–15 bubbles) and interface layer thickness (+1.85–4.60 nm), along with a decrease in the drainage area (+8.47–20.52 %) for all conjugates, except Suc/ZN-CP. Particularly, the amphiphilic nature of Ste, characterized by multiple chiral centers, various hydroxyl groups, and a distinct carbonyl group, resulted in the highest covalent grafting degree (38.82 %), water solubility (0.28 mg/mL), foaming capacity (223.33 %), and foam stability (105.07 %) of ZN/Ste-CP after CPDG treatment. Regarding interaction forces, CPDG treatment enhanced both hydrogen bonding and covalent interactions in zein while diminishing electrostatic and hydrophobic forces. Confocal laser scanning microscopy validated that these changes resulted in a hydrophilic conformational shift of the conjugates, allowing Ste to coat micelle surfaces and form chain-like aggregates through viscous stretching, thereby facilitating favorable adsorption and unfolding at the air/water interface. The CPDG technology proved to be an effective and eco-friendly method for modifying the interface of zein, offering a valuable strategy for its application in highly flexible, stabilized Pickering foamed foods.