Factory Supply 80% Zein Protein Powder
What is Zein Protein?
Zein protein, commonly known as "corn gluten""Zein", is a storage protein widely found in plants such as corn. It is a mixture of proteins with an average molecular weight of 25,000 to 45,000. Based on their molecular weight and solubility, it can be divided into four types: α-zein, β-zein, γ-zein, and δ-zein. α-zein is the primary component, accounting for 70% to 85% of the total zein protein. Its high content of non-polar amino acids such as glutamine, leucine, proline, and alanine, and its lack of alkaline and acidic amino acids, gives it unique solubility. It is insoluble in relatively low-concentration salt solutions but soluble in alcohol solutions, high-concentration urea solutions, high-concentration alkaline solutions (pH > 11), and anionic detergents. It maintains its molecular conformation in 60% to 95% ethanol solutions. Zein is typically a pale yellow powder, which becomes white after multiple decolorization treatments.
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Main Functional Properties of Zein Protein
1. Film-forming properties. Zein's film-forming ability is one of its most prominent properties. Because it's rich in sulfur-containing and hydrophobic amino acids, zein molecules can form disulfide and hydrophobic bonds, creating a stable and dense network structure during film formation. These films not only possess excellent mechanical properties but also possess superior barrier properties, effectively preventing the penetration of moisture, oxygen, and ultraviolet light.
2. Antioxidant properties. Zein and its hydrolysates exhibit significant antioxidant activity.
3. Biocompatibility and biodegradability. Zein is a non-toxic, harmless, and biodegradable natural polymer. It can be broken down by proteases and intestinal microorganisms in the human body, without causing environmental pollution.
Application Prospects of Zein Protein
1. In the food industry, zein is primarily used as a film-forming material, embedding wall material, and stabilizer. Its film-forming properties make it suitable for use in candy coatings and preservative coatings for fruit and meat products. Its antioxidant properties make it suitable for use as a wall material for oil embedding, securing oils and fats, improving the antioxidant properties of foods, and extending their shelf life. It can also interact with hydrophilic and hydrophobic substances to stabilize food ingredients such as foams, emulsions, and dispersions.
2. In the textile industry, zein, due to its film-forming properties, adhesiveness, and water resistance, is used in textile coatings, significantly improving their water resistance, abrasion resistance, and antistatic properties.
3. In the pharmaceutical industry, zein, due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability, is widely used as a pharmaceutical excipient. It can be used in tablet coatings and as a sustained-release wall material to protect active pharmaceutical ingredients and control their release rate.
4. In the papermaking industry, the addition of zein can improve paper's strength, water resistance, oil resistance, and printing properties. Zein can also be used as an adhesive, decolorizing adsorbent, and biomatrix.
