Modified soy proteins with improved foaming and water hydration properties

Soy proteins were modified by alkali treatment at pH 10.0, followed by papain hydrolysis. Solubility, water hydration capacity (WHC), surface hydrophobicity, foaming and emulsifying properties of unmodified, alkali-treated, and papain-modified soy protein (PMSP) were compared. PMSP exhibited higher solubility (100% at pH 7.0), WHC (3.13) and hydrophobicity (40.8) than unmodified soy protein which had solubility 68.5%, WHC 0.21, and hydrophobicity 8.1. The PMSP had foaming capacity (22.0 mL) similar to egg white (21.2 mL) at pH 7.0; and enhanced foam stability (36.4) compared to the unmodified control (32.9). In general, alkali-treated soy had lower functional properties. Emulsifying properties of PMSP and alkali treated soy were unchanged by the modification. PMSP could be used as an egg white substitute in foaming applications at neutral pH