Structure – Functionality of lentil protein-polyphenol conjugates

•Lentil protein isolate was conjugated with plant polyphenols.•Equilibrium binding constants decreased in the order quercetin > ellagic acid > rutin.•Random coil secondary structure of the proteins significantly increased upon conjugation.•Conjugates were less surface active than the original lentil proteins.•Radical scavenging and reducing power of the conjugates was better than the polyphenols.