Self-Assembled Complexes of Proteins/Polysaccharides and Polyphenols: Interaction, Functional Characteristics, and Digestion

Food is often a complex soft matter formed by the organic combination of food components. The self-assembly interaction (non-covalent interaction) of food components lays an important scientific foundation for the innovation of new healthy products. However, food components are prone to disordered combinations, resulting in turbidity, flocculation, precipitation, and other adverse effects. Self-assembly is one of the basic and effective methods of natural creation. Building units spontaneously assemble into ordered structures from disordered states, which are widely used in various industries and fields. Protein and polysaccharides are two important macromolecular components of food, which are important substrates of most foods. Dietary polyphenols are very important bioactive substances and are closely related to human health, such as antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and other chronic diseases. These biomacromolecules naturally have a very strong affinity with dietary polyphenols. A clear understanding of the self-assembly interaction between biomacromolecules and dietary polyphenols may provide a new strategy for the creation of functional, nutritious, and healthy foods.

The purpose of this research topic is to explore the interaction between food biological macromolecules (proteins and polysaccharides) and dietary polyphenols, and clear biological macromolecular self-assembly interaction mechanism with dietary polyphenols. Therefore, the changes in physicochemical properties, functional properties, and structural properties of proteins or polysaccharides, as well as the changes in bioactivity and bioavailability of polyphenols after the combination of biological macromolecules with dietary polyphenols, are explored to provide new molecular processing strategies for the creation of new food products with biological macromolecules-dietary polyphenols components.

We welcome submissions related to the following:

• The interaction mechanism between protein or polysaccharide and dietary polyphenols;

• New food products created by protein or polysaccharide-polyphenol complexes;

• Changes in physicochemical, functional, and structural properties of proteins caused by interactions between macromolecules and polyphenols;

• Interaction of biomacromolecules with polyphenols resulting in polyphenol activity and bioavailability.

Keywords: protein, polysaccharide, polyphenol, interaction, digestion

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