Emulsifying and Bactericidal Properties of a Protamine‐Galactomannan Conjugate Prepared by Dry Heating

Protamine was conjugated with galactomannan (GM) in a controlled dry state at 60° and 79% relative humidity. The covalent attachment of GM to protamine was confirmed by SDS‐PAGE and gel chromatography. The resulting protamine‐GM conjugate had excellent emulsifying properties without significant loss in bactericidal activity. The emulsifying activity was six times and the emulsion stability of the conjugate more than 10 times higher than those of protamine. In acidic (pH 3) and salt (0.2M NaCl) systems the conjugate showed much more effective emulsifying properties than commercial emuJsifiers. In addition, the emulsifying properties of the conjugate were retained after preheating at 90°. Protamine‐GM conjugate could be used for processed foods as a bifunctional food additive, emulsifier and antibacterial reagent.