Functional and structural properties of beta-lactoglobulin as affected by high pressure treatment

Pressure (300-900 MPa) so modified beta-lactoglobulin that it displayed reduced emulsifying capacity and formability compared to native beta-lactoglobulin. However, the pressure-treated samples showed a greater capacity for protein-protein interactions in the adsorbed layers of interfaces as evidenced by increased surface-dilational modulus and resistance to displacement by a surfactant in foams. The observed behavior was explained by a pressure-induced structural change in beta-lactoglobulin. This increased its hydrophobicity and its potential for aggregate formation which probably accounts for the reduced emulsifying capacity and foamability