Abstract:
Coconut is an economical crop that widely processed and used in many ways; for example, coconut milk and coconut oil. In order to produce coconut oil, the coconut milk is used as a raw material for oil extraction and coconut skimmilk is left behind as a by-product. Due to high protein content in coconut skimmilk, it has a potential for protein extraction. However, the extracted protein usually has limitation in used due to its low solubility in acidic condition. The objective of this study was to optimize of the enzymatic deamidation of coconut protein by protein-glutaminase (PG) and to study functional properties of deamidated coconut protein. The extraction of protein was performed by conventional isoelectric precipitation (pH 3.9). The modified condition was optimized by using response surface methodology (RSM). The optimization was performed based on the condition, which contained high degree of deamidation (DD>30%) and low degree of hydrolysis (DH<5%). It was found that the optimum condition were enzyme:substrate ratio (E/S) of 36 U/g protein, temperature of 50oC and pH of 7.0. The functional properties of deamidated coconut proteins (deamidation by PG for 15 min, 6 h, and 12 h) were determined, including solubility, water-and oil-holding capacity, emulsifying properties and foaming properties. In comparison to control sample (same condition as deamidated ones, but without PG), the solubility of deamidated coconut protein was improved at pH = 3.0 (p≤0.05). At pH = 5.0, there was no difference in solubility among treatments (p>0.05). At pH = 7.0, the solubility of coconut proteins, which deamidated for 15 min and 6 h, were decreased (p≤0.05). Water holding capacity and oil holding capacity were not different from control after deamidation by PG (p>0.05). Emulsifying activity index (EAI) of 15 min deamidated coconut protein was decreased (p≤0.05) while EAIs of 6 and 12 h deamidated protein were not different from control (p>0.05). Emulsifying stability index (ESI) of all deamidated protein samples were increased (p≤0.05). Foaming capacity (FC) was increased after deamidation by PG (p≤0.05), while the foaming stability (FS) was decreased (p≤0.05). From the results of molecular weight distribution, the small molecular proteins were increased during deamidation. And amino acid profile of deamidated coconut protein was similar to untreated coconut protein.