Structural and functional modification of miscellaneous beans protein by high-intensity ultrasound: Mechanism, processing, and new insights

Miscellaneous bean proteins (MBP) attract marks attention as an ideal and high-quality substitute for animal-derived proteins. The high-intensity ultrasound (HIU, 10–1000 W/cm2) is a novel and green physical processing technology that modifies the physical, biochemical, and mechanical properties of proteins through cavitation effect. This article reviewed the current application of HIU in the processing of MBP, mechanisms and equipment of HIU, and key factors for modifying MBP with HIU. The impacts of HIU on the improvement of solubility, emulsifying properties (EP), foaming properties, gel properties, water holding capacity (WHC), oil-holding capacity of MBP, and involved mechanisms are intensively discussed. The effects of HIU treatment on the structural variation of MBP are also evaluated, mainly focusing on the spectroscopic methods. The cavitation effect generated during HIU induces rapid bubble formation, local pressure differentials, shear forces, micro-jets, turbulence, and released energy. It disrupts aggregated protein, accelerates protein unfolding, improves interfacial properties, and increases adsorption capacity, effectively enhancing their functional properties. The increased β-sheet content, decreased α-helixes and random coils, exposed tryptophan residues, and the formation of porous structures is closely related to the modification of MBP. This review would provide valuable insights for the development of innovative MBP products.