Efecto de la modificación estructural o incorporación de calcio en la gelificación térmica de aislados protecios de caupi

Abstract

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is cultivated in the North East of Argentina and has high protein content(24-27%). Knowledge and modification of the functional properties of their protein products canincrease their added value and their incorporation as an ingredient. Our aim was to modify the thermalgelation process of cowpea protein isolates (APC) changing factors which influence the protein-proteinand protein-water interactions: the initial proteins conformation (pH-shifting during protein extraction,A8 and A10); partial denaturation of protein with high hydrostatic pressure (APH) pretreatment; andcalcium (CaCl2) incorporation before thermal gelation.The pH-shifting improved the gelling ability since A10 had lower critical protein concentration (CPC) andhigher values of G? than A8 a each protein concentration (ConcProt). APH pretreatment made cowpeaproteins more dependent on ConcProt for gel formation: increased CPC; at low ConcProt the gels wereweaker and with higher contribution of hydrogen bonds; at high ConcProt the gels were stronger andwith less contribution of hydrogen bonds than the samples not pre-treated.