Cold plasma jet-induced modifications in pea protein: A comparative study of gas-specific effects

Air-classified pea protein concentrate (PPC) offers a sustainable solution for meeting the nutritional demands of a growing global population. This study investigated the effects of cold plasma (CP) jet-based non-thermal treatment, using air, nitrogen, and helium gases, on the structural, functional, and volatile profile of PPC. The diversity of reactive species generated by CP, influenced by gas type and flow rate, led to distinct modifications in treated PPC. For air and nitrogen-fed CP treatments, a noticeable reduction in the α-helix content was observed, accompanied by an increase in the random coil structures, indicating a transition process from ordered to unordered protein conformations. Functional analysis revealed that air-fed CP significantly improved protein solubility, water-holding capacity (WHC), and oil-holding capacity (OHC), while nitrogen-fed CP primarily enhanced WHC and OHC, and helium-fed CP increased OHC only at a flow rate of 4 L/min. Additionally, the CP treatment resulted in changes to the color of the pea protein, with the most pronounced bleaching effect found in samples treated by the air-fed CP. Cold plasma treatment under various conditions also yielded distinct volatile compound profiles in the treated PPC. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing CP applications in plant protein modifications. • Type of gas supplied to the cold plasma jet greatly influenced protein changes in pea protein concentrate. • Air-fed plasma improved solubility, water and oil holding capacity, and caused major structural changes. • Nitrogen and helium plasmas mainly improved water and oil holding capacity under specific conditions. • Different cold plasma-fed gases produced distinct volatile profiles in treated pea protein concentrate.