OILSEED PROTEIN SOLUBILITY AFTER EXPOSURE TO HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE

Cucurbitin, a physicochemically typical oilseed storage protein from p umpkin and other cucurbits, was treated with 20% H2O2 for periods up t o 36 h to determine the length of exposure needed to render it water s oluble. Maximum solubility was reached in 8 h from virtual insolubilit y and started decreasing after about 12 h. These results not only indi cate that H2O2 was effective in rendering oilseed protein water-solubl e and can be used to prepare several ratios of soluble-to insoluble pr otein products, but also show the lengths of exposure needed to obtain the required solubilities.