Abstract: Soybean 7S globulin was modified by ultrasonic treatment, and the changes in its in vitro digestibility, and the antigenicity and potential allergenicity of its digestion products were evaluated. Results showed that the 7S globulin was resistant to saliva and gastric juice, but it was easy to be digested in the duodenum after ultrasonic processing 300 W for 80 min. The antigenicity assessed by in vitro IgG binding showed that the antigenicity of the digestion products increased firstly but then decreased as the ultrasonic processing time (0?120 min) increased, reaching the lowest level at 100 min. The potential allergenicity assessed by in vitro IgE binding exhibited an initial increase followed by a decrease with ultrasonic processing time up to 120 min, reaching the lowest level at 80 min. These results suggest that soybean 7S globulin with ultrasonic processing for 80 min has a lower potential allergenicity.

Key words: soybean 7S globulin, ultrasonic, in vitro digestibility, antigenicity, potential allergenicity