Abstract
Buckwheat protein (BP) exhibits a nutritionally balanced amino acid profile and demonstrates multiple bioactive properties, although certain functional limitations restrict its broader application. This study systematically optimized the reaction conditions for both wet/dry-heat glycosylation between BP and Fagopyrum esculentum polysaccharide (FEP), characterized the effects of these conjugation methods on BP's functional properties, and successfully employed the resulting bioconjugates for vitamin D₃ (VD(3)) encapsulation. The data demonstrate that the wet glycosylation method achieved a degree of grafting (DG) of 17.72 % for BP, which significantly enhanced both in vitro protein digestibility and viscoelastic properties. The dry glycosylation reaction yielded a DG of 16.53 %, resulting in a marked improvement in bile acid-binding capacity. Emulsions prepared with the glycosylated bioconjugates showed markedly improved VD(3) stability. These findings collectively suggest that glycosylation modification represents an effective approach for simultaneously enhancing both the functional characteristics of BP and the stabilization of VD(3).