Advances in Food Science and Technology

Advances in Food Science and Technology | Vol. 14, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 031–036

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AFST/000245

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Structural Modification of Pea Protein Isolates via Dual-Frequency Ultrasound Conjugated Glycation

Names of Authors: Yuki Tanaka¹, Elena Rostova²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Food Science Division, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan; ²Department of Biomaterials, Advanced Research Institute, Oslo, Norway

Abstract: Abstract: Plant proteins like pea protein isolates (PPI) are widely utilized in food formulations, but their applications are often restricted by poor structural solubility and low emulsifying capacities around their isoelectric regions. This research explored the structural changes and functional performance modifications of PPI subjected to a dual-frequency ultrasound-assisted Maillard glycation process using maltodextrin. The reaction was executed under multi-frequency sonic parameters (20 kHz and 40 kHz) at 60 °C over processing cycles ranging from 10 to 60 min. Spectroscopic analyses confirmed that ultrasound processing accelerated the covalent bonding between pea proteins and maltodextrin, increasing the graft degree by 2.5x compared to classical thermal heating blocks. The functional measurements indicate that modified conjugates displayed a 58.4% improvement in aqueous solubility across an acidic pH range (pH 4.0 to 6.0). The resulting oil-in-water emulsions exhibited high droplet uniformity and structural resilience against salt-induced flocculation. This hybrid modification protocol offers an efficient engineering approach to design high-performance, clean-label plant protein ingredients.

Keywords: Pea Protein Isolate, Maillard Reaction, Dual-Frequency Ultrasound, Protein Solubility, Emulsifying Properties, Structural Modification

Manuscript Timeline: Received: March 15, 2026; Revised: May 22, 2026; Accepted: June 29, 2026; Published: August 31, 2026

Citation: Tanaka, Y., & Rostova, E. (2026). Structural Modification of Pea Protein Isolates via Dual-Frequency Ultrasound Conjugated Glycation. Advances in Food Science and Technology, 14(8), 031–036. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AFST/000245

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