Production and characterization of kidney bean protein isolate for use in nanoparticle production

• Grant number: 14/11913-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2014
• End date: August 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Technology
• Principal Investigator: Samantha Cristina de Pinho
• Grantee: Marluci Ghiraldi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Several encapsulation systems have been studied with different aims, in many areas, to incorporate bioactives when their solubility is low. Another aim can be to protect the bioactive from degradation due to heat or light, or oxidation agents. In food area, the demand for functional products has been increasing in the last years. Quercetin is a hydrophobic flavonol present in many fruits and vegetables, with recognized antioxidant action. However, as it is hydrophobic, its incorporation in food formulations can be rather limited, and its encapsulation in amphiphilic carriers can be interesting. Protein nanoparticles are a type of amphiphilic carrier whose development has been increasing in last 5 years, and that can be obtained from a variety of proteins. Among these proteins is the kidney protein isolate (KPI), and the main aim of the present proposal is to stablish protocols to extract the KPI from the beans and characterize it in order to be used in the production of protein nanoparticles encapsulating quercetin.