{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,14]],"date-time":"2026-03-14T11:10:27Z","timestamp":1773486627474,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"15","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,4]],"date-time":"2023-08-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1691107200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"FCT\/MCTES, Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia and Minist\u00e9rio da Ci\u00eancia, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior","award":["UIDB\/50006\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/50006\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT\/MCTES, Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia and Minist\u00e9rio da Ci\u00eancia, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior","award":["UIDP\/50006\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDP\/50006\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT\/MCTES, Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia and Minist\u00e9rio da Ci\u00eancia, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior","award":["LA\/P\/0008\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0008\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Foods"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Chayote seeds have good protein quality and recognized bioactive properties, being still unexplored as a nutraceutical. In this work, chayote seed protein isolates (CSPIs) were prepared by alkaline extraction (AE) and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) using a probe (20 kHz) or a water bath (40 kHz), and their physicochemical, functional properties and nutraceutical potential were investigated. For all treatments, protein solutions (10% w\/v) were treated for 20 min. The UAE significantly (p &lt; 0.05) improved the protein extraction yield and functional properties (protein solubility, turbidity, and emulsifying and foaming properties) of CSPIs. This effect was more pronounced using a probe sonication device. The CSPI obtained by UAE-20 kHz contained 8.2 \u00b1 0.9% dw of proteins with a balanced amino acid profile, higher content of essential amino acids (315.63 mg\/g of protein) and higher protein digestibility (80.3 \u00b1 4.5%). Furthermore, CSPI.UAE-20 kHz exhibited the highest phenolic content (7.22 mg GAE\/g dw), antioxidant capacity and \u03b1-amylase inhibition (74%, at 100 \u03bcg\/mL concentration). Overall, these results suggest that ultrasound technology contributed greatly to the corresponding functional and nutritional properties of chayote seed proteins. It would be, therefore, useful to apply this Cucurbitaceae species in food systems, promoting its nutritional and commercial value.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/foods12152949","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,4]],"date-time":"2023-08-04T09:28:29Z","timestamp":1691141309000},"page":"2949","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["Chayote (Sechium edule (Jacq.) Swartz) Seed as an Unexploited Protein Source: Bio-Functional and Nutritional Quality of Protein Isolates"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0301-6182","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elsa F.","family":"Vieira","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"REQUIMTE\/LAQV, ISEP, Polytechnic of Porto\u2014School of Engineering, Rua Dr. Ant\u00f3nio Bernardino de Almeida, 431, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Ana Q.","family":"Fontoura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"REQUIMTE\/LAQV, ISEP, Polytechnic of Porto\u2014School of Engineering, Rua Dr. Ant\u00f3nio Bernardino de Almeida, 431, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3924-776X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cristina","family":"Delerue-Matos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"REQUIMTE\/LAQV, ISEP, Polytechnic of Porto\u2014School of Engineering, Rua Dr. Ant\u00f3nio Bernardino de Almeida, 431, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1186\/s43014-021-00076-8","article-title":"Functional properties of protein isolates from camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) 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