The design of stable colloidal systems is critical for developing innovative food structures. This study investigates two protein-polysaccharide conjugate systems that hold promise for food structure manufacturing.

In a first study, the impact of Maillard-type protein-dextran conjugates was studied on the physical stability of zein nanoparticles produced via liquid antisolvent precipitation. Zein, a hydrophobic corn protein, offers unique structuring capabilities but suffers from poor aqueous stability, limiting its application in food systems. To address this, Maillard conjugates were introduced to modify interfacial properties and enhance the stability of zein particle dispersions. The conjugates indeed displayed reduced particle aggregation upon exposure to a range of environmental conditions relevant for food processing. In the case of these protein-polysaccharide conjugates, steric stabilization and enhanced hydration from polysaccharide chains play a key role in maintaining colloidal integrity and enhancing the functionality of the zein particles.

In a second study, pulse proteins were conjugated with arabinoxylan. These conjugates were utilized to populate and stabilize air-water interfaces, both in model and complex gluten-free batter systems. Conjugates increased the interfacial viscoelasticity of air-water interfaces and improved the interfacial and foam stability relative to physical protein-polysaccharide mixtures. These improved functional properties also resulted in improved gluten-free bread characteristics.

The here presented findings highlight the potential of protein–polysaccharide conjugates as functional engineered biopolymer complexes for structuring multiphase food systems, offering new strategies for interface engineering in clean-label formulations.