Insights into the soybean protein isolate hydrolysates: Performance characterization, emulsion construction and in vitro digestive behavior

In this experiment, the co-constructed O/W emulsions of different soy protein hydrolysates (SPHs) and gum arabic (GA) were investigated. SPHs were prepared by hydrolyzing soy protein isolate (SPI) using different enzymes, and investigated the effects of enzyme types and hydrolysis time on the physicochemical properties of SPHs. Moreover, SPI/GA and SPHs/GA were prepared and used as hydrophilic emulsifiers to construct O/W emulsions. The results showed that the optimal hydrolysis times for bromelain, pepsin and trypsin were 2 h (BSPH2), 3 h (PSPH3) and 3 h (TSPH3), respectively. Compared with SPI/GA emulsions, SPHs/GA emulsions had smaller particle size, more negative charge, higher interfacial adsorbed protein, and more stable emulsion systems. During the digestion process, SPHs/GA emulsions were effective in realizing the release of bioactives. In conclusion, enzymatic hydrolysis can be an effective modification technique, and SPHs/GA can be used as an effective emulsifier for the emulsion system.