The effects of ball mill treatment (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 min) on the physicochemical and digestible properties of scallops (Chlamys farreri) protein (CFP) were investigated. The CFP particle size decreased with increasing ball-milling time. The content of free sulfhydryl (SH) of CFP increased from 13.08 ± 0.25 μmol/g protein to 18.85 ± 0.24 μmol/g protein when the ball-milling time increased from 0 min to 10 min. A sharp increase of the surface hydrophobicity index (H₀) from 48.53 ± 0.27 to 239.59 ± 0.37 was found when the ball-milling time increased from 0 min to 4 min. Furthermore, the foaming capacity increased from 46.08 ± 6.12% to 65.11 ± 1.05% with increasing ball-milling time from 0 min to 6 min, after which it reached a plateau. SDS-PAGE results showed that ball mill treatment did not change the primary structure of CFP. Digestible properties of BMCFP simulated gastrointestinal digestion as a function of ball mill treatment were analyzed by Tricine-SDS-PAGE and nitrogen recovery index. After 60 min of simulated human gastro digestion, nitrogen recovery index of CFP had a significant rise from 42.01 ± 0.31% to 58.78 ± 3.37% as the ball-milling time increased from 0 min to 6 min. Peptides from hydrolysates of Chlamys farreri protein (CFP) were identified by ultraperformance liquidchromatographysystem coupled to a Synapt Mass Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). After 2 h and 4 h of simulated human duodenal digestion, the number of peptides with 7-10 amino acids length increased apparently with the ball-milling time increased. This study presents an approach to investigating the effect of the ball-milling process on the physicochemical and digestible properties of CFP, which may provide valuable information on the application of CFP as an ingredient in food products.
Keywords: Chlamys farreri; ball mill treatment; digestibility; foaming properties; protein; surface hydrophobicity.