The effect of limited proteolysis on canola protein gelation

The objective of this study was to improve canola protein gelation properties through limited enzymatic hydrolysis with trypsin, ficin and bromelin either alone or in combination with the cross-linking enzyme transglutaminase (TG). Proteolysis alone was found to reduce gel strength to below that of the control. This was accompanied by a decrease in molecular weight, observable through SDS-PAGE analysis. Micrographs corroborated the rheological data and showed that protease application brought about a loss of structure. In contrast, limited proteolysis was shown to be a suitable pretreatment to cross-linking with TG, a frequently used cross-linking enzyme. Previous research suggests and this study corroborates that opening the protein structure prior to TG treatment, can enhance its effectiveness. Gels, treated with both a protease and TG, were significantly stronger than those treated with TG alone. It was concluded that while limited proteolysis does not improve canola protein gelation on its own, it can significantly improve gelation properties when combined with TG.