Monosaccharide-induced glycation enhances gelation and physicochemical properties of myofibrillar protein from oyster (Crassostrea gigas)

Glycation offers a promising potential to improve protein gelling properties in food industries. Therefore, the study was aimed to illustrate the effect of five monosaccharides (erythrose-aldotetrose, xylose-aldopentose, glucose-aldohexose, galactose-aldohexose, and fructose-ketohexose) with different carbon numbers and structure on the structure-gelling relationship of myofibrillar protein (MP) from oyster (Crassostrea gigas). Results showed that monosaccharides significantly increased the glycation degree of MP by increasing sulfhydryl content, forming stable tertiary conformation and decreasing surface hydrophobicity. Moreover, the gel properties of MP like gel strength, water holding capacity, water mobility were improved by alleviating aggregation including the increase of solubility and the decrease of particle sizes. Oyster MP glycated by glucose (aldohexose) possessed the optimal gel properties. Molecular docking simulation showed that hydrogen bonds and hydrocarbon bonds were the mainly non-covalent binding modes. The study will provide a theoretical basis for oyster protein glycation and expand its application on food gel.