Volatile compounds formed by thermal reactions between mung bean, pea, and soybean enzyme-hydrolyzed proteins and reducing sugars

This study investigated mung bean, soybean, and pea enzyme-hydrolyzed vegetable proteins’ (EVPs) properties, including degree of hydrolysis (DH), molecular weight distribution, and free amino acids profiles. In addition, volatile compounds generated thermally from the EVPs and reducing sugars were examined. Our results revealed that mung beans exhibited the highest DH, while soybeans showed the least. In addition, pea contained the highest levels of amino acids, while soybeans had the lowest. Notably, leucine and lysine were abundant in all three EVPs, whereas their content of sulfur-containing amino acids was relatively low. Principal component analysis demonstrated that the types of EVPs and reducing sugars contributed to the differentiation of samples based on volatiles. Mung bean and pea had high amino acid contents and, therefore, produced more significant amounts of Strecker aldehydes, heterocyclic compounds, and sulfur-containing compounds than soybean hydrolysate. These findings demonstrate that the properties of EVPs significantly affect volatile compounds produced.