Drying-Induced Structural and Oxidative Transformations in Sustainable Proteins: Impact on Physicochemical Properties and Flavor-Binding Functionality

The rapid global transition toward sustainable food systems has intensified interest in alternative protein ingredients derived from both terrestrial plants and blue foods. However, a critical bottleneck in the commercialization of these proteins is the stabilization of flavor profiles during dehydration. Drying technologies ranging from conventional hot-air and heat pump drying to microwave and vacuum freeze-drying inevitably induce structural reorganization and oxidative modifications. These transformations fundamentally modulate how volatile flavor compounds are bound, retained, and released within the food matrix. This review proposes a comprehensive structure–process–function framework that mechanistically connects intrinsic protein architectures, drying-induced denaturation, and flavor-binding behavior. The review first contrasts globular plant proteins (e.g., soy, pea, and emerging tropical crops) with fibrous marine myofibrillar and collagenous proteins, emphasizing their distinct hierarchies, amino acid compositions, and oxidative vulnerabilities. It then critically evaluates how varying drying modalities drive protein unfolding, aggregation, and carbonylation, and how these transformations alter binding pocket accessibility, surface hydrophobicity, and lipid–protein–flavor crosstalk. Furthermore, it highlights the emerging role of hybrid plant–marine protein matrices as a strategy to optimize techno-functionality. By integrating structural biophysics with computational approaches such as molecular docking and structure-based modeling, this review provides a predictive conceptual map for designing flavor–protein interactions under specific dehydration histories. Ultimately, the proposed framework offers practical design principles for selecting protein sources and tailoring drying strategies to produce high-quality, sensorially superior, and sustainable next-generation food products.