中国农业科学 ›› 2026, Vol. 59 ›› Issue (14): 3162-3184.doi: 10.3864/j.issn.0578-1752.2026.14.013

• 食品科学与工程 • 上一篇    下一篇

植物蛋白凝胶性能的强化策略与机理研究进展

杨帅伶(), 李文亭, 徐慧()   

  1. 江苏科技大学粮食学院/江苏省粮食生物加工工程研究中心, 江苏镇江 212100
  • 收稿日期:2025-12-29 接受日期:2026-04-07 出版日期:2026-07-16 发布日期:2026-07-21
  • 通信作者:
    徐慧,E-mail:
  • 联系方式: 杨帅伶,E-mail:yshling826@163.com。
  • 基金资助:
    国家自然科学基金青年基金(32401977)

Advances in Reinforcement Strategies and Mechanisms of Plant- Based Protein Gel Properties

YANG ShuaiLing(), LI WenTing, XU Hui()   

  1. School of Grain Science and Technology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology/Jiangsu Provincial Engineering Research Center of Grain Bioprocessing, Zhenjiang 212100, Jiangsu
  • Received:2025-12-29 Accepted:2026-04-07 Published:2026-07-16 Online:2026-07-21

摘要:

在全球可持续发展与健康饮食需求的双重驱动下,植物蛋白作为动物蛋白替代资源的重要性日益突出。然而,植物蛋白天然凝胶性能的不足严重制约了在高端食品及非食品领域的高附加值应用。本文旨在系统评述近年来植物蛋白凝胶性能强化的主要策略与作用机理研究进展,为开发高性能植物蛋白制品及相关理论研究提供参考,以推动其在更广泛领域的创新应用,助力可持续食品与材料体系的发展。为此,本研究系统检索了Web of Science、ScienceDirect、PubMed及CNKI数据库(2015—2025年),以“植物蛋白凝胶”“物理改性”“酶法改性”“多糖复合”等为核心关键词进行组合检索,并通过文献追溯与引用追踪补充关键文献,经筛选后纳入高质量研究进行系统梳理与分析。文章围绕植物蛋白凝胶的形成基础、多维评价方法与性能强化策略展开分析。重点剖析了3大类强化策略:物理改性(如热、超声、高压处理),化学与生物酶法改性(酰化、糖基化、转谷氨酰胺酶交联),多组分复合策略(与多糖、多酚结合)。此外,进一步探讨了深共晶溶剂工程、双网络/互穿网络结构、4D打印智能凝胶及导电/自愈合凝胶等新兴设计策略。这些策略分别通过能量输入、精准共价修饰与分子间互作,显著提升了凝胶的强度、稳定性和功能多样性,标志着该领域正从“被动的性能改良”转向“主动的功能创造”。不过,从实验室走向产业化仍面临平衡感官与营养、克服原料差异与工艺放大瓶颈等核心挑战。未来仍需深化凝胶化动力学的原位解析与凝胶性能的理性设计研究,推动多种策略的智能化集成,挖掘非传统植物蛋白资源(如微藻蛋白、土豆蛋白、藜麦蛋白等)并建立其改性策略与应用场景的匹配关系。通过跨学科协同与“产学研”融合,植物蛋白凝胶有望在生物医学、柔性电子及循环经济材料等领域发挥关键作用,为可持续食品与材料体系提供重要支撑。

关键词: 植物蛋白, 蛋白凝胶, 凝胶强化, 改性策略, 作用机理, 多糖复合, 功能凝胶

Abstract:

With the global shift towards sustainable development and healthier dietary choices, plant proteins are gaining prominence as viable alternatives to animal proteins. However, the inherent weaknesses in the gelling properties of native plant proteins significantly limit their applications in high-value food and non-food industries. This review aimed to systematically summarize the latest advancements in reinforcement strategies and the mechanisms that enhance the gel properties of plant proteins. The objective was to inform the development of high-performance plant protein products and underpin related theoretical research, thereby promoting innovative applications in a wider array of fields and supporting the growth of sustainable food and material systems. To achieve this, a comprehensive search of the Web of Science, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and CNKI databases from 2015 to 2025 was conducted, using keywords like “plant protein gel”, “physical modification”, “enzymatic modification”, and “polysaccharide complexation”. The findings were supplemented through literature tracing and citation tracking, ultimately selecting high-quality studies for systematic analysis. This paper highlighted the foundational aspects of gel formation, various evaluation methods, and performance enhancement strategies for plant protein gels. It specifically focused on three primary reinforcement tactics: physical modifications (including thermal, ultrasonic, and high-pressure processing), chemical and enzymatic modifications (such as acylation, glycosylation, and transglutaminase cross-linking), and multi-component complexation (involving combinations with polysaccharides and polyphenols). Additionally, the emerging design strategies were explored, such as deep eutectic solvent (DES) engineering, double-network (DN) and interpenetrating network (IPN) structures, 4D-printed smart gels, and conductive/self-healing gels. These innovative approaches significantly enhanced the gel’s strength, stability, and functional diversity by leveraging energy inputs, precise covalent modifications, and intermolecular interactions. This marked a notable evolution from “passive performance enhancement” to “active function development”. However, the transition from laboratory research to industrial application presented significant challenges, such as balancing sensory attributes with nutritional value and navigating raw material variability and scalability issues. Future research should prioritize in-depth analyses of gelation kinetics and the rational design of gel properties. It should also encourage the intelligent integration of diverse strategies, explore alternative plant protein sources (such as microalgal, potato, and quinoa proteins), and establish effective connections between modification approaches and their applicable scenarios. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and the integration of industry, academia, and research efforts, plant protein gels are poised to become instrumental in areas, such as biomedicine, flexible electronics, and materials for a circular economy, thereby playing a critical role in the development of sustainable food and material systems.

Key words: plant protein, protein gel, gel reinforcement, modification strategy, mechanism, polysaccharide complexation, functional gels