Food properties of egg white protein modified by rare ketohexoses through Maillard reaction

Summary d‐psicose (Psi), a rare ketohexose, improves food properties of proteins through the Maillard reaction (MR) much more than d‐fructose (Fru). This encouraged us to investigate the improvement of food properties of proteins through MR with various rare ketohexoses (d‐psicose, Psi; d‐tagatose, Tag; and d‐sorbose, Sor). The food properties of egg white protein (EWP) after reaction with Psi, Tag, Sor and Fru were studied. Psi‐EWP (43.3 μmol TE g−1) and Tag‐EWP (43.4 μmol TE g−1) had the highest antioxidant activity, followed by Sor‐EWP (38.4 μmol TE g−1) and Fru‐EWP (38.9 μmol TE g−1). MR enhanced the breaking stress of heat‐induced EWP gels by 224–267%. The breaking stress was higher in Psi‐EWP (81.1 kN m−2), Tag‐EWP (80.0 kN m−2) and Sor‐EWP (77.8 kN m−2) than in Fru‐EWP (71.6 kN m−2). Furthermore, the foaming capacity was highest in Psi‐EWP and Sor‐EWP. Rare ketohexoses improved food properties of EWP more than Fru. Overall, Psi offered the greatest functional improvement. Food properties of egg white protein were improved through Maillard reaction with D‐ketohexoses. Antioxidant activity and gelling properties were improved more by D‐psicose and D‐tagatose, while emulsifying and foaming properties were improved more by D‐psicose and D‐sorbose. Overall, D‐psicose offered the great functional improvement.