Protein-Polysaccharide Complexes: From Structure and Function to Food Applications - A Review

In this review, the preparation methods, mechanisms of action, functional properties, and applications of protein-polysaccharide complexes in the food field to expand their research scope are reviewed systematically. The functional properties of macromolecule proteins with high nutritional value are often limited by poor solubility and processing sensitivity. The branching of polysaccharides to proteins via the Maillard reaction can form protein-polysaccharide complexes, which improves their functional properties and expands their applications in the food field significantly. The phase separation behavior and structural properties of the formed complexes are regulated by conditions such as protein conformation and polysaccharide type which can be characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and other techniques. The structural changes it exhibits can reveal improvements in its functional characteristics. In food applications, the complexes can be used as fat substitutes to enhance the texture of low-fat meat and dairy products, and as stabilizing carriers for nanoparticles and Pickering emulsions for delivery of active ingredients. However, the effect of the complexes on food flavor and the modulation of their lubricating properties still needs to be thoroughly investigated and the complexation mechanisms revealed to achieve a wider range of applications in health food development.