Dynamic high pressure microfluidization treatment of zein in aqueous ethanol solution

Dynamic high pressure microfluidization (DHPM) treatment at the pressures of 25, 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 MPa was performed to explore its effects on the characteristics of zein in aqueous ethanol solution. The results showed that after DHPM treatment at 125 MPa, the volume percentage of zein nanoparticles (d < 100 nm) was increased from 68.8% to 94.7%, and the fluorescence intensity approached to the maximum. DHPM treatment at the pressure of 25 MPa led to the increase of α-helix and β-sheet of zein from 57.1% to 59.4% and from 16.8% to 17.9%, respectively. The partial denaturation of zein was induced after DHPM process at pressures from 50 to 150 MPa. The morphology of zein was modified from nanosphere to the needle-like shapes after DHPM treatment at 75 MPa, and the deduction was proposed that the morphological change at 75 MPa was ascribed to the existence of the intermediate transition state.