Bridging the Knowledge Gap for the Impact of Non-Thermal Processing on Proteins and Amino Acids

Proteins represent one of the major food components that contribute to a wide range of biophysical functions and dictate the nutritional, sensorial, and shelf-life of food products. Different non-thermal processing technologies (e.g., irradiation, ultrasound, cold plasma, pulsed electric field, and high-pressure treatments) can affect the structure of proteins, and thus their solubility as well as their functional properties. The exposure of hydrophobic groups, unfolding followed by aggregation at high non-thermal treatment intensities, and the formation of new bonds have been reported to promote the modification of structural and functional properties of proteins. Several studies reported …