Insight into the conformational and functional properties of myofibrillar protein modified by mulberry polyphenols

•The effect of mulberry polyphenols on myofibrillar protein was studied.•All phenols caused changes in myofibrillar protein structures to different degrees.•Caffeic acid enhanced the solubility and inoxidizability of myofibrillar protein.•Rutin showed positive effects on the emulsibility of myofibrillar protein. This paper investigated the conformational and functional properties of myofibrillar protein modified by five phenolic compounds, including cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside, caffeic acid, quercetin and rutin, dominantly presented in mulberry polyphenols-enriched sausage. These phenolic compounds significantly affected the structure of myofibrillar protein as indicated by the remarkable losses of carbonyl and ε-NH2 and the obviously fluorescence quenching effect (P