Abstract:In this study, the effects of different sodium algae addition amounts (0 wt.%, 15 wt.%, 30 wt.%, 45 wt.%, 60 wt.%, 75 wt.%, 90 wt.%) on the physicochemical properties (emulsifying property, emulsion stability, foaming capacity, foam stability, particle size, Zeta potential) and structural characteristics (endogenous fluorescence, surface hydrophobicity, free sulfhydryl group, disulfide bond, Fourier transform infrared spectrum) of rice bran protein were investigated by complexing sodium alginate with rice bran protein. The results showed that when sodium alginate was added at 45 wt.%, the emulsifying property, foaming capacity and foaming stability of rice bran protein increased by 40%, 18% and 9%, respectively, and the emulsion stability increased by more than 20 times, with the particle size of the complex being the smallest and the charge carried being the greatest. With the increase of the addition amount of sodium alginate, the intrinsic fluorescence intensity decreased, a red shift occurred, surface hydrophobicity increased, content of free sulfhydryl group increased and content of disulfide bond decreased. In addition, Fourier infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed that the added sodium alginate change the secondary structure of rice bran protein. The results of this study are expected to provide a theoretical basis for the subsequent application of rice bran protein-sodium alginate complex.