Work

Heat-induced structural and functional modification of peanut protein isolate for enhancing peanut butter quality and stability

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Oil separation limits peanut butter quality and shelf life. This study investigated the effect of heat-induced aggregation of peanut protein isolate (PPI) at 60-100 °C on its structural, functional properties, and evaluated its application as a stabilizer in peanut butter. Thermal treatment altered PPI conformation-most notably a reduction in α-helix and an increase in β-sheet content-leading to enhanced surface hydrophobicity, emulsifying capacity, and oil-binding ability. PPI treated at 100 °C (PPI-100) exhibited the strongest stabilizing performance, and its incorporation (2%) into peanut butter reduced oil separation by 20.1% while improving rheological and textural attributes. During 60 days of room-temperature storage, peanut butter formulated with PPI-100 showed only 5.2% phase separation, confirming markedly improved physical stability. These findings highlight the potential of heat-treated PPI, within the tested upper thermal limit of 100 °C, as a viable clean-label stabilizer for emulsion foods including peanut butter.

Source: Food Chemistry X

DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2026.104412