Abstract:

In the present study, the chemical composition and fatty acid composition of ‘Danfenghou’ plum seed kernels
were analyzed, and functional properties of protein extract from the seed kernels were characterized. The results showed that
the kernels were rich in fat and protein containing values of (31.49 ± 3.39)% and (32.44 ± 0.14)%, respectively. The fatty
acid composition of the kernels mainly included oleic acid (62.599 74%) and linoleic acid (28.959 75%), which together
accounted for 91.3% of the total fatty acids, respectively. The content of total unsaturated fatty acids was 92.599 51%. Betatocopherol
and γ-tocopherol were the major forms of vitamin E, the contents of which were 0.32 and 0.10 mg/g, respectively.
Amino acid analysis and scores indicated that the kernels had abundant amino acids. Among the identified amino acids,
glutamate was the most abundant, while the limiting amino acid was lysine. SDS-PAGE showed that the kernel protein
was composed of six subunits with molecular weights ranging from 15 to 47 kD. The isoelectric point of the kernel protein
was determined to be pI 5.0. Its emulsifying property and emulsion stability were 0.039 and 42.63 min, respectively, and the
values of foaming ability and foam stability were 37.04% and 41.67%. The hydrophobicity of the heat-treated protein was
408.29 ± 1.09, which was higher than that (295.21 ± 12.38) of the control without any heat treatment. This study can provide
useful a for the development and utilization of the kernel.

Key words: ‘Danfenghou&rsquo, plum seeds, chemical constituents, fatty acid composition, functional properties of protein