Researchers have identified proteins that can emulsify and can be easily extracted from yeast cell walls. One of these proteins demonstrated emulsifying properties similar to casein, which is a common emulsifier found in milk.
When people hear the term emulsifiers, they might not know their uses, but they are common in many everyday items, including food and cosmetics. These substances help keep ingredients that typically separate, such as water and oil, from doing so. Emulsifiers can be either artificially produced or come from natural sources like milk, eggs, and soy, which are all recognized allergens. To explore alternatives, researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University are studying emulsifying proteins from yeast.
A team led by Professor Masayuki Azuma and Associate Professor Yoshihiro Ojima from the Graduate School of Engineering had previously identified three proteins (Gas1, Gas3, and Gas5) in yeast that possess strong emulsifying capabilities. However, these proteins are tightly attached to the cell wall. In their latest research, they have discovered emulsifying proteins that can be more easily extracted from the yeast.
Among these proteins, Fba1 displayed the highest level of emulsifying activity. Additionally, there is a protein known as Tdh2 located on the yeast cell surface, which in tests showed emulsifying properties comparable to those of Fba1 and similar to casein, a commercial emulsifier derived from milk.
“Identifying key emulsifying proteins in yeast cell wall components could enhance the use of yeast extracts,” remarked Professor Azuma. “By boosting the production of these proteins, we hope to utilize them as purified emulsifying agents.”
The results of this study were published in Food Hydrocolloids.
