This study aimed to investigate the impacts of high-intensity ultrasound treatments on the physicochemical, thermal, and structural properties of faba bean protein isolates (FPI). Aqueous FPI suspensions were sonicated at 20 kHz for 1, 3, 5, and 10 min. Ultrasound treatment increased the solubility of FPI at all sonicated times, with maximum solubility (89.11%) observed at the 3-min treatment. Particle size (from 370.47 to 187.87 nm) and zeta potential (from − 40.83 to − 37.17 mV) reduction (in magnitude) by sonication were observed at all studied times. The usage of ultrasound has been found to have a more pronounced antibrowning impact compared to unsonication (higher L* and b*, lower a*, C*, H*, BI, and ΔE). With the increase in sonication treatment from 0 to 3 min, the T_d decreased from 103.07 to 99.58 °C and ΔH_d from 2.21 to 1.12 J/g, which were related to the changes in the secondary structure of proteins. Sonication changed the secondary structure of FPI, decreasing the α-helix, β-turn, and random coil content, and increasing the β-sheet for samples treated up to 3 min. Prolonged sonication increased the α-helices due to the extension of certain types of hydrogen bonds in the structure. The microstructural changes of FPI caused by ultrasound were further validated through observations made using a scanning electron microscope, which revealed the presence of smaller fragments. The present study indicates that the use of ultrasound has the potential to improve the functionality of FPI, hence potentially enhancing the efficacy of FPI-based food products. Graphical abstract

Hawthorn (Crataegus) fruit, which is traditionally used as a folk medicine, has been commonly used in pharmaceuticals due to its positive neuro- and cardio-selective effects in recent years. Drying is a practical approach for the long-term storage of hawthorn fruits due to their high annual abundance. This study aimed to compare the effects of oven-drying and freeze-drying methods on the quality, bioactivity, volatiles, and surface structure of hawthorn fruits. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity (IC50) were used to compare the bioactive properties of the fresh and dried fruits. The volatiles of fresh and dried hawthorn fruits were determined by GC-MS. The TPC and TFC of freeze-dried fruit extracts were markedly higher than those of fresh and oven-dried fruit extracts (p

This study investigated the impact of whey protein isolate (WPI) addition on the dry heat modification of corn (CS) and wheat starch (WS). Starches were treated under dry heating conditions at 130 °C for 2 and 4 h. The physicochemical and structural properties of the modified starches, such as color, particle size, thermal behavior (DSC), crystalline structure (XRD), and surface morphology (SEM), were analyzed. The results show that adding WPI significantly altered the gelatinization properties, surface morphology, and crystalline structure of both starches. DSC indicated that the gelatinization properties of starch/WPI mixtures varied, with corn starch showing a decreased gelatinization temperature and increased enthalpy, whereas wheat starch exhibited a more complex response, likely due to different structural changes. The XRD and FTIR results revealed WPI-enhanced crystallinity and structural changes, highlighting WPI-induced aggregation. Wheat starch, in particular, exhibited stronger interactions with WPI than corn starch, as evidenced by the accumulation patterns in the SEM images. The oil-binding capacity of native starches increased with dry heating and WPI addition, suggesting an improved hydrophobicity of starch granules. Dry heating and WPI addition significantly altered starch properties, highlighting the potential of thermal modulation to enhance starch–protein systems for targeted food applications.