Exploring the physicochemical and functional properties of stabilized corn pollen protein hydrolysates via spray-drying for application in bread formulation

This study investigates the potential of bioactive hydrolyzed proteins from corn flower pollen (H-CPP) to enhance bread quality and functionality. The study utilizes spray-drying with polysaccharide carriers to create stable powders of H-CPP suitable for bread formulation. While β-cyclodextrin (βCD) resulted in the highest spray-drying yield (46.0 %) and encapsulation efficiency (83.6 %) compared to maltodextrin (MD), the primary focus is on the impact of encapsulated H-CPP on bread characteristics. Powders produced with βCD exhibited improved solubility (87.1 %) and moderate hygroscopicity (34.3 %). Importantly, encapsulated H-CPP retained its antioxidant activity for up to 150 days, a significant improvement over the rapid loss of activity observed in free H-CPP during storage. Encapsulation also enhanced the thermal stability of H-CPP, increasing its degradation temperature from 135 °C to 250 °C, which is crucial for baking applications. When incorporated into bread, encapsulated H-CPP powders masked undesirable characteristics, such as yellow crumb color and bitterness, and improved loaf volume and overall acceptance. However, bread with free H-CPP had higher antioxidant activity. These findings highlight the benefits of utilizing encapsulation to preserve and deliver bioactive corn pollen peptides, leading to improved bread quality and enhanced nutritional value.