Barhang (Plantago major L.) seed gum: Ultrasound‐assisted extraction optimization, characterization, and biological activities

Plantago major L. is a member of Plantaginaceae family plants and Plantago major seeds (PMS) can be a good source of gum. Response surface methodology (RSM) and Box–Behnken design was utilized to optimize the ultrasound‐assisted extraction of PMS gum. This optimization consisted of two stages: extraction stage with three variables (seed: water ratio, extraction time, and extraction temperature) and ultrasound stage with three variables (power, temperature, and time). The chemical composition and features of optimized gum including moisture, ash and protein content, monosaccharide components, total flavonoid content, total phenolic content, DPPH scavenging activity, reducing power, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and water‐ and oil‐holding capacity (WHC/OHC) were evaluated. The findings demonstrated that six different monosaccharides including glucose, rhamnose, xylose, galactose, arabinose, and glucuronic acid were found in the PMS gum. Existence of glycoside bonds and hydroxyl, carboxyl, and methyl groups were observed in FTIR spectra of the gum. Practical applications The hydrocolloids have extensive application in food and beverages as thickening, gelling, and coating agents, texture modifiers, stabilizers, emulsifier, antistaling agent, dietary fiber, and fat replace. Introducing new hydrocolloids is an important area of study in food chemistry. Within commercial hydrocolloids, those which extracted from seeds are widely applied in food systems due to their proper price, easy to access and appropriate functionality.