Novel high internal phase emulsions stabilized by TGase-catalyzed glycosylated pea protein isolates: Formation, stability, and properties

This study investigated the effect of heat treatment combined with pH-shifting-assisted glycosylation using oligosaccharide (COS) on the properties of pea protein isolate (PPI) high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs). The results showed that heat treatment combined with pH-shifting-assisted glycosylation altered the secondary structure of PPI, exposing internal hydrophobic groups and enhancing solubility, foaming, and emulsifying properties. Microscopic structure and rheological behavior revealed that the resulting HIPEs exhibited improved protein adsorption capacity, forming smaller, more uniform, and densely packed droplets. This endowed HIPEs with heightened viscoelasticity and superior stability. Furthermore, the HIPEs built exhibited enhanced environmental tolerance (e.g., storage, heating, pH and salt). These findings provide new insights into the structure-function relationship of glycosylated PPI for designing highly stable and environmentally tolerant HIPEs, thereby promoting the application of PPI-based HIPEs in the food industry.