Effect of plant polysaccharides on the conformation and gel properties of the Eugenol–Myofibrillar protein complex

This study investigated the effect of plant polysaccharides on the conformation and gel properties of the eugenol (Eu)-myofibrillar protein (MP) complex. Adding 0.5% inulin (I) and konjac glucomannan (K), which are two plant polysaccharides, to the Eu-MP complex lead to the inhibition of the Eu–MP interaction, which significantly increased carbonyl and thiol contents and surface hydrophobicity. Both polysaccharides significantly inhibited the reduction in the α-helix content (Eu-MP: 14.95%; Eu-MP-I: 18.04%; Eu-MP-K: 19.92%), thereby maintaining hydrogen bond stability in the protein. I and K significantly increased the strength of the complex gel and the storage modulus. Additionally, I and K promoted the formation of a denser gel structure of the Eu-MP complex, which significantly decreased moisture migration and the cooking loss of the gel. This study thus provides a theoretical basis for adding polysaccharide to inhibit the polyphenol–protein interaction so as to enhance the functional properties of proteins, as well as the practical application of polyphenols and polysaccharides in meat product processing.