New electrospun nanofiber based on grass pea protein isolate (Lathyrus sativus L.) for the food and biomedical applications

In the present study, new protein nanofibers were produced from grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) protein isolate and polyvinyl alcohol. Different ratios of grass pea protein isolate and polyvinyl alcohol (100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80, and 0:100) were mixed, and the nanofibers were produced by the electrospinning process. First, the properties of spinning solutions, including viscosity, electrical conductivity, and surface tension were examined, then the morphological, thermal, and mechanical properties of the electrospun nanofibers were investigated. By increasing the amount of grass pea protein isolate, the viscosity decreased, but the electrical conductivity and surface tension increased from 683 to 1108 µS/cm and 52 to 76 mN/m, respectively. SEM image analysis showed that the nanofibers containing up to 60% protein content had a bead-free and uniform structure with an average diameter of 138.43 nm. The FTIR analysis results suggested the effective fabrication of the hybrid nanofibers. The XRD patterns indicated a reduction in the crystallinity of composite nanofibers compared to polyvinyl alcohol. These new electrospun nanofibers have the potential to create films incorporating bioactive compounds, acting as functional food products.