PLEUROTUS SPP. MUSHROOM PROTEINS AS TECHNO-FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS IN NUTRACEUTICAL FOODS.

Pleurotus genus are the second most widely cultivated in the world and they have several advantages over other mushrooms, such as their rapid growth at temperatures between 10 and 30ºC and their ability to develop on different types of substrates, as well as their high yield, high nutritional value and medicinal properties, making them nutraceutical foods.  Endogenous proteins and peptides exhibit diverse biological properties, such as immunomodulatory, antiviral, anticancer and antihypertensive properties, and their high protein content, with all the essential amino acids, makes its protein concentrate from Pleurotus spp. mushroom be considered a bioactive compound with the potential to act as a food ingredient due to its technological properties. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the technological and functional properties of the Pleurotus spp. mushroom protein concentrate obtained by alkaline solubilization followed by isoelectric precipitation. The mushroom has a high protein content, 34.22 % by dry mass. The protein concentrate presented more than 88% protein and just over 11% in the non-protein portion, demonstrating the effectiveness of the separation process. Analysis of the techno-functional properties of the proteins (EMBRAPA methodology) showed that the protein concentrate had a water absorption capacity of 0.54 g g^-1 of sample and an oil absorption capacity of 0.68 g g^-1 of sample. For interfacial properties, the emulsifying activity index (EAI) was 6.03 m² g^-1 of sample and the emulsion stability index (ESI) was 25 minutes; the foaming capacity (FC) was 384% and showed 70% foam stability (FS); the lowest solubility (S) was 3.96% at pH 4.0 and showed no gelling capacity at the concentrations studied (0.02 to 2.0 g mL^-1). The biological properties, the high protein content associated with the techno-functional characteristics allow it to be used in various nutraceutical products and food products for people with dietary restrictions.