Insight into the mechanism of high hydrostatic pressure effect on inhibitory efficiency of three natural inhibitors on polyphenol oxidase

The development of natural inhibitors of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is crucial in the prevention of enzymatic browning in fresh foods. However, few studies have focused on the effect of subsequent sterilization on their inhibition efficiency. This study investigated the influence and mechanism of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on the inhibition of PPO by epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G), and ferulic acid. Results showed that under the conditions of 550 MPa/30 min, the activity of EGCG-PPO decreased to 55.92%, C3G-PPO decreased to 81.80%, whereas the activity of FA-PPO remained stable. Spectroscopic experiments displayed that HHP intensified the secondary structure transformation and fluorescence quenching of PPO. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that at 550 MPa, the surface interaction between PPO with EGCG or C3G increased, potentially leading to a reduction in their activity. In contrast, FA-PPO demonstrated conformational stability. This study can provide a reference for the future industrial application of natural inhibitors. •HHP treatment improved the inhibitory efficiency of PPO by EGCG or C3G•The activity of FA-PPO remained stable even at 550 MPa/30 min•TEM observed that HHP promoted the aggregation of PPO in the presence of EGCG•MD simulations showed an increase in interaction between PPO and inhibitors under HHP•FA was embedded inside the PPO to form a complex that exhibited pressure stability