This study examined the effects of varying microwave treatment durations (0–120 s) on the structural and functional properties of glycosylated soybean 7S protein. The results indicated that microwaving for 60 s significantly altered the structure of 7S, resulting in a more ordered protein configuration. The treated protein exhibited the largest particle size (152.3 nm), lowest polydispersity index (0.248), highest α-helix content (47.86%), and lowest β-sheet, β-turn, and random coil contents (12.33%, 16.07%, and 22.41%, respectively). It also showed the lowest endogenous fluorescence and surface hydrophobicity, and the highest thermal denaturation temperature (76.8 °C). Additionally, microwaving for ≤90 s led to increased peptide modifications, with carbamylation and deamidation being the most prevalent. A microwave treatment time of 60 s also notably enhanced the functional properties of glycosylated soybean 7S protein, optimizing water-holding capacity (6.060 g/g), emulsification activity, and stability (45.191 m²/g and 33.63 min). The foaming capacity was second only to the 120 s treatment (32% at 60 s versus 34% at 120 s), though the oil-holding capacity (22.73 g/g) and foaming stability (33.42%) were significantly lower than those of the controls. Microwave treatment durations exceeding or below 60 s led to the structural disintegration of the protein, diminishing most of its functional properties. This study explores the mechanism of how microwave processing time affects the structure and functional properties of glycosylated soybean 7S protein and identifies 60 s as the optimal microwave processing time. It meets the demands for healthy and delicious food in home cooking, providing scientific evidence for using microwave processing technology to enhance the nutritional value and quality of food.

In this study, we investigated the effects of different microwave times (0–120 s) at 900 W power on the nutritional properties of glycosylated soybean 7S protein. The in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion revealed that digestibility peaked at 60 s (40.83% gastric, 84.29% intestinal) and was accompanied by a significant increase in hydrolysis. Automatic amino acid analysis indicated superior nutritional quality after 60 s of treatment, as evidenced by optimal amino acid scores (AAS, CS) and the essential amino acid index (EAAI), and by a more favorable amino acid profile for human requirements. However, the proportion of flavor-active amino acids decreased from 83.05% at the initial stage to 53.77%, and the taste activity value (TAV) of fresh amino acids was lower than that of the untreated group, with limited flavor improvement. In conclusion, 60 s is the optimal time for nutritional optimization, which can improve protein digestibility and nutritional value, and the risk of flavor degradation should be considered.