Selective adsorption of egg white hydrolysates onto activated carbon: Establishment of physicochemical mechanisms for removing phenylalanine

Yujie Su; Yuzhen Wang; David Julian McClements; Cheng Lu; Cuihua Chang; Junhua Li; Luping Gu; Yanjun Yang

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130285

Selective adsorption of egg white hydrolysates onto activated carbon: Establishment of physicochemical mechanisms for removing phenylalanine

Food Chem. 2021 Dec 1:364:130285. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130285. Epub 2021 Jun 4.

Authors

Yujie Su¹, Yuzhen Wang², David Julian McClements³, Cheng Lu², Cuihua Chang², Junhua Li², Luping Gu⁴, Yanjun Yang⁵

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
³ Hunan Engineering & Technology Research Center for Food Flavors and Flavorings, Jinshi, Hunan 415400, China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China. Electronic address: guluping@jiangnan.edu.cn.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China. Electronic address: yangyj@jiangnan.edu.cn.

PMID: 34265582
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130285

Abstract

Previously, it was shown that activated carbon can remove phenylalanine from egg white hydrolysates to produce a low phenylalanine peptide ingredient that can be used by individuals suffering from phenylketonuria. However, the factors impacting the selective adsorption of phenylalanine and peptides to activated carbon is not fully understood, which is holding back the optimization of this process. In this research, two activated carbons with different morphologies and electrical characteristics were used to adsorb egg white hydrolysates with different degrees of hydrolysis. The selective adsorption behavior of the different constituents within the hydrolysates was studied to identify the nature of the adsorption mechanisms involved. The results showed that aromatic amino acids and components with higher molecular weight were preferentially adsorbed. Moreover, the main driving force for adsorption was hydrophobic attraction, followed by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. These results could facilitate the preparation of medical foods for patients with phenylketonuria.

Keywords: Adsorption behavior; Egg white hydrolysates; Phenylalanine; Physicochemical mechanisms; Powder activated carbon.

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Charcoal
Egg White*
Humans
Hydrolysis
Phenylalanine*

Substances

Charcoal
Phenylalanine