Effect of ultrasound-assisted Maillard reaction on glycosylation of goat whey protein: Structure and functional properties

•The reaction conditions were optimized for the ultrasound-assisted method.•Four different glycosylated goat whey protein (GWP) conjugates were established.•Ultrasound-assisted methods improve the degree of glycosylation reactions.•The combined treatments significantly improved the functionality of GWP.•GWP-gum Arabic conjugates exhibited better emulsification properties. Goat whey protein (GWP) has a rich amino acid profile and good techno-functional attributes but still has limited functional performance for certain applications. This study introduces an innovative ultrasound-assisted Maillard reaction to enhance GWP's functional properties by conjugating it with either gum Arabic (GA) or citrus pectin (CP). Sonication accelerated the Maillard reaction, and the glycosylation of GWP was significantly enhanced after optimization of the conjugation conditions. Gel electrophoresis examination verified the creation of GWP-polysaccharide conjugates, while scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed structural modifications caused by polysaccharide grafting and sonication. The use of ultrasound in the Maillard reaction notably enhanced the solubility, foaming capacity, and emulsifying attributes of the GWPs. Among the conjugates, the GWP-GA ones exhibited the best functional properties. Our findings suggest that this approach can notably improve the functional attributes of GWPs, thus broadening their potential uses in the food sector and beyond.