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 alpha-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.