Ohmic heating (OH) emerged as an alternative processing method for food preservation and has more recently been used to modify the functional properties of proteins. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of OH on the interfacial properties of whey proteins (WPC) and its interactions with hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds. WPC solutions (8% w/w) were subjected to electric field intensities ranging from 0 to 50 V·cm⁻¹ until reaching 80 °C. Structural and physicochemical parameters, including free sulfhydryl content, zeta potential, surface hydrophobicity, intrinsic fluorescence, and solubility, were analyzed. Protein–ligand interactions were also evaluated using β-carotene and caffeic acid as model compounds. The results indicated that moderate electric field intensities (30 V·cm⁻¹) promoted increased surface hydrophobicity and intrinsic fluorescence, suggesting protein unfolding and exposure of hydrophobic regions. Higher electric field intensities (40–50 V·cm⁻¹) led to aggregation, reducing solubility and binding affinity to β-carotene. Conversely, OH processing increased the interaction of WPC with caffeic acid due to enhanced exposure of hydrophilic binding sites. These findings provide insights into the modulation of whey protein interfacial properties through OH and highlight its potential for tailoring protein functionality in food formulations.

Cerrado fruits, adapted to dry/rainy seasons and nutrient-poor soils, are rich sources of diverse bioactive phytochemicals, including phenolics, carotenoids, and alkaloids.

Buriti (Mauritia flexuosa L.) is a native Brazilian fruit recognized for its high content of carotenoids and phenolic compounds, which confer considerable nutraceutical value. This study investigated the effects of pulsed electric field (PEF) and ultrasound (US), applied separately and in combination, on the recovery of bioactive compounds from freeze-dried buriti pulp. The resulting extracts were evaluated for colorimetric characteristics, total phenolic content (TPC), β-carotene, pro-vitamin A, and antioxidant activity by ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays, with β-carotene additionally quantified by UHPLC. Ultrasound at 100% intensity promoted the highest TPC recovery (301.28 mg GAE L⁻¹) and enhanced β-carotene extraction, reaching 13.2 mg g⁻¹ dry mass, compared with 9.9 mg g⁻¹ dry mass in the agitation control. FRAP values ranged from 7.7 to 10.1 μmol Fe²⁺E g⁻¹ dry mass, with PEF treatments generally showing lower antioxidant capacity, whereas ultrasound maintained values comparable to the control. In contrast, isolated and combined PEF treatments reduced β-carotene recovery (2.7–7.3 mg g⁻¹ dry mass), particularly at higher field intensity, suggesting degradation of carotenoids. Most treatments preserved the characteristic orange coloration of buriti extracts, with ΔE* values below 5, indicating no visually perceptible color changes. The extracts did not inhibit probiotic or pathogenic bacteria at the tested concentration, although stimulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus growth was observed. Cytotoxicity assays demonstrated low toxicity toward HDFa cells, with viability values generally above 80%. The results indicate that high-intensity ultrasound is a promising strategy for recovering bioactive compounds from buriti pulp, while PEF application requires optimization to prevent degradation of sensitive phytochemicals.