Effects of Wheat Gluten on the Gel Properties and Structure of Mung Bean Protein

This study investigated the effect of the composite ratio of mung bean protein (MBP) and wheat gluten (WG) on the gel properties and structure of their gel system. The effects on the water-holding capacity, textural properties, rheological properties, secondary and tertiary structure, and microstructure of the heat-induced (95 ℃, 30 min) composite gels were analyzed by regulating the mass ratio of the two (MBP:WG was 10:0, 9:1, 8:2, 7:3, 6:4, and 5:5, respectively). The results showed that compared to pure MBP, the gel strength and densification of the composite gels could be significantly improved by the addition of WG in appropriate amounts, especially when the mass ratio of MBP and WG was 7:3, which showed the best water-holding capacity (97.15%) and springiness (0.98) of the gels (P<0.05). This was mainly attributed to the enhancement of disulfide bonds, while the FTIR spectral analysis showed that the protein secondary structure was transformed from α-helix to β-sheet structure under this ratio, which was conducive to the construction of a stable gel network structure. In conclusion, the rational regulation of the ratio of MBP to WG can significantly improve the structural and functional properties of the composite protein gel system, which provides the theoretical basis and technical support for the application of plant proteins in the structural design of high-quality foods.