THE RELEASE CHARACTERISTICS OF EPIGALLOCATECHIN GALLATE FROM THE GEL WERE AFFECTED BY ITS REACTION WITH WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE.

The interaction between epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and whey protein isolate (WPI) under various pH and ion concentrations conditions was examined by ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer and fluorescence spectra. The results showed that EGCG with WPI was linked mainly by electrostatic force, and EGCG caused the fluorescence quenching of WPI through a static quenching. Furthermore, in vitro static release results showed that the release process of EGCG from EGCG-WPI gel in release medium of different pH and ion concentrations follows the Korsmeyer-Peppas model and conform to the non-Fick diffusion law. Finally, the binding constant KA and the constant release Kapp kinetic model were established. The model followed the equation LnKA=A - 1 n LnKapp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]