Stepwise extraction of Lepidium sativum seed gum: Physicochemical characterization and functional properties

• Cress seed gum was fractionated using stepwise extraction with water to F1, F2 & F3.
• Chemical composition and molecular weight of the fractions varied significantly.
• The results of DSC and TGA indicated that F3 had the highest thermal stability.
• F3 exhibited the best surface tension reducing ability.
• All the samples exhibited good emulsifying capability and stability.

Cress seed gum (CSG) was fractionated using stepwise extraction with water, yielding three fractions (F1, F2, F3) whose average molecular weights ranged from 863 to 1080 kDa. The chemical composition (monosaccharide, ash, moisture, CHN and uronic acid contents) and molecular weight of the fractions varied significantly. Generally, the major identical peaks of FT-IR spectra for three fractions and whole cress seed gum were similar. The results of DSC and TGA indicated that F3 had the highest thermal stability and considering the initial decomposition temperature, the decreasing order of thermal stability was F3 > F2 > F1. Cress seed gum and its fractions exhibited non-Newtonian shear thinning behavior which the Herschel-Bulkley model was successfully described the steady shear flow behavior of samples, and apparent viscosity followed the order of F3 > F2 > F1. F3 exhibited the best surface tension reducing ability compared to other fractions and CSG. All the samples had good emulsifying capability (>97%) and stability (>96%). The emulsion capacity increased slightly along the series of F1, F2 and F3, whereas, emulsion stability decreased along the same series. CSG and F3 showed the highest and the lowest foaming capacity and stability, respectively.