Three protein isolates from de-fatted macadamia nut kernel flour were prepared by extraction at acidic (pH2.0), neutral (pH7.2 with 0.2M phosphate buffer containing 0.5MNaCl) and alkaline (pH12.0) conditions. Extraction at pH2.0 solubilised nearly 52.0% of the proteins present in defatted macadamia flour, while extraction with buffer (pH7.2) and alkaline pH (12.0) solubilised about 83.0% of proteins. The yield of isoelectrically precipitated protein from acidic extract (pH2.0, isolate A) was about 65.2% and from neutral (isolate B) and alkaline extracts (isolate C) was slightly over 83.0% which accounted for 33.7, 69.1 and 69.4% of the proteins present in defatted flour. The protein content of the isolates was 80.1, 92.1 and 92.0% in A, B and C isolates respectively. The functional properties of these isolates were significantly different. Isolate A presented better solubility at pH below isoelectric pH, isolate C at pH above isoelectric pH and isolate B intermediate solubility at the pH range studied. Isolate B showed best water and oil absorption capacities followed by isolate C and least by isolate A. For each isolate, the emulsifying properties were also significantly different at different pH values.
Interfacial and emulsifying properties of amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) protein isolates under different conditions of pH
