Lysine-assisted ultrasonic treatment of fish myofibrillar proteins conformational rearrangement: A synergistic strategy for enhanced volatile compounds adsorption and emulsion stabilization

This study elucidated the synergistic mechanism of lysine-assisted ultrasonic treatment in mediating sea bass myofibrillar proteins (MPs) conformational rearrangement and optimizing their flavor retention and emulsification dual functionalities. The Lysine-assisted ultrasonic treatment reduced α-helix content to 24.1 %, exposing hydrophobic groups and enhancing volatile compound adsorption. Molecular docking confirmed hexanal, octanal, and heptanal bound to MPs via hydrophobic interactions, van der Waals forces, and hydrogen bonds. Additionally, collaborative treatment decreased the particle size of MPs to 150 nm and increased the absolute value of zeta potential by 23.8 %. These changes not only inhibited MPs aggregation but also promoted covalent cross-linking and interfacial adsorption of MPs. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance showed treated emulsion transverse relaxation time (T 2 ) rose to 727.29 ms, improving oil droplet fluidity and uniform distribution, thus boosting long-term stability. This work demonstrates potential for developing stable, flavor-controllable emulsified products.