Effect of hydrolysis time on the physicochemical and functional properties of corn glutelin by Protamex hydrolysis

•Protamex hydrolysed corn glutelin efficiently.•Corn glutelin hydrolysates maintained high thermal stability.•Solubility, foaming and emulsifying properties of hydrolysates were improved markedly.•Corn gultelin hydrolysates exhibited excellent antioxidant properties in vitro assay.•Hydrolysis of corn glutelin transformed its insoluble native aggregates to soluble aggregates. The physicochemical and functional properties, such as surface hydrophobicity, disulphide bond content, thermal properties, molecular weight distribution, antioxidant properties, of corn glutelin hydrolysates catalysed by Protamex at different hydrolysis times were evaluated. The hydrolysis influenced the properties of corn glutelin significantly, and not only decreased its molecular weight and disulphide bond content, but also eventually transformed its insoluble native aggregates to soluble aggregates during the hydrolysis process. Corn glutelin hydrolysates were found to have a higher solubility, which was associated with their relatively higher foaming and emulsifying properties compared to the original glutelin. Corn glutelin and its hydrolysates maintained a high thermal stability. In addition, the hydrolysates exhibited excellent antioxidant properties measured through in vitro assays, namely DPPH and OH radical scavenging activity, Fe2+-chelating capacity and reducing power; the values were 58.86%, 82.64%, 29.92% and 0.236% at 2.0mg/mL, respectively.