Effect of moderate electric fields on the structural and gelation properties of pea protein isolate

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of moderate electric fields (MEF) inherent in ohmic heating (OH) on the structural and gelling properties of pea protein isolate (PPI). Results showed that OH treatment, especially at high electric field strengths and low frequencies, contributed to the unfolding of protein structures and the formation of smaller aggregates. The OH treatment also increased the surface hydrophobicity (H0) of PPI and reduced the content of free sulfhydryl groups (SH) due to the formation of SS bonds, resulting in the better mechanical properties of PPI gels. The OH-treated gels had the highest water holding capacity and uniform three-dimensional network structure. The OH-treated gels were less hardness, gumminess and chewiness. The OH treatment reduced the storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G") of the gels. The OH might be an effective technology for fine-tuning legume protein structure and producing protein gels.