RESUMO
Multi-functional phenolic emulsifiers were prepared by covalently coupling ß-Lactoglobulin (ßLg) to caffeic acid (CA) using crosslinker chemistry at different pH conditions (pH 2.5, 6.0, and 8.5). The resulting bioconjugates were characterized by MALDI-TOF MS, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), fluorescence-quenching, infrared and circular dichroism spectroscopies. Furthermore, the emulsifying and antioxidant properties of ßLg-CA conjugates were evaluated and compared to native ß-Lactoglobulin and the non-covalent ß-lactoglobulin/caffeic complex (ßLg/CA). Results showed: 1) An optimal molar ratio (8:1) of caffeic acid to ßLg was obtained at pH 6; 2) DPPH activity of ßLg-CA increases as the number of CA units coupled increases; 3) ßLg-CA conjugates displayed comparable or superior water solubility than native ßLg and ßLg/CA. Moreover, DSC results showed that coupling of CA with ßLg significantly increased the thermal stability of ßLg. In summary, ßLg-CA conjugates can act as effective antioxidant emulsifiers and stabilizers and may find application in food and cosmetic industries.
