Plant protein powder
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Plant Protein Powder: Functional Properties, Authentication, and Nutritional Quality
Techno-Functional Properties of Plant Protein Powders
Plant protein powders, derived from sources such as pea, oat, fava bean, chickpea, mung bean, potato, canola, soy, and wheat, exhibit diverse techno-functional properties. These properties include water solubility, water-holding capacity, oil-holding capacity, foaming capacity, and emulsification properties. For instance, soy isolate demonstrates superior water-holding capacity, while canola excels in oil-holding capacity. The foaming capacity and stability vary significantly among different plant proteins, reflecting the raw material's inherent characteristics. Additionally, heating can enhance the solubility and viscosity of these proteins, with potato, canola, and mung bean showing the highest viscosity upon heating1 4.
Authentication and Adulteration Detection in Plant Protein Powders
Ensuring the authenticity of plant-based protein powders is crucial, especially given the potential for adulteration with cheaper proteins like soy, whey, and wheat. Advanced techniques such as near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) combined with chemometric tools like OC-PLS and PLS-DA models have been developed to detect and classify adulterants in plant protein powders. These methods offer rapid, non-invasive, and highly sensitive detection capabilities, making them suitable for verifying the authenticity of plant-based protein powders and identifying adulterants in concentrations ranging from 10% to 40%2. Additionally, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) has been employed to identify plant proteins in adulterated products, such as skimmed milk powder, further highlighting the importance of robust authentication methods3.
Nutritional Quality and Health Benefits of Plant Proteins
Plant proteins are increasingly favored due to their potential health benefits, environmental sustainability, and ethical considerations. However, the nutritional quality of plant proteins can be inferior to animal proteins in terms of amino acid profile and digestibility. Strategies to enhance the nutritional quality of plant proteins include blending different plant sources to achieve a balanced amino acid profile and employing processing techniques to improve digestibility and bioavailability. Despite these challenges, plant proteins can support health and physical function, offering benefits such as reduced saturated fat intake and improved environmental sustainability7 10.
Functional Performance and Modification of Plant Proteins
The functional performance of plant proteins, including their solubility, emulsifying, foaming, and gelling properties, is influenced by factors such as protein source, extraction methods, and processing techniques. For example, proteins from pea and sunflower exhibit higher solubility compared to those from wheat and rice. Industrial processing can negatively impact protein functionality due to denaturation and aggregation. To address these challenges, various modification techniques, including physical, chemical, and biological methods, have been explored to enhance the functionality of plant proteins. These modifications can lead to the development of functional ingredients like texturized vegetable proteins and hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, which are essential for creating high-quality plant-based food products5 8 9.
Conclusion
Plant protein powders offer a promising alternative to animal proteins, with diverse functional properties and potential health benefits. Ensuring the authenticity and nutritional quality of these proteins is crucial for consumer trust and product efficacy. Advances in authentication methods and protein modification techniques are essential for optimizing the functionality and application of plant proteins in various food products. As consumer demand for plant-based diets continues to grow, ongoing research and innovation will be key to overcoming the challenges associated with plant protein powders and maximizing their potential benefits.
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Most relevant research papers on this topic
Techno-Functional and Sensory Characterization of Commercial Plant Protein Powders
Commercial plant protein powders show varied techno-functional and sensory properties, highlighting the need for methodological standardization while respecting end-use conditions like meat and dairy analogs.
Authentication of plant-based protein powders and classification of adulterants as whey, soy protein, and wheat using FT-NIR in tandem with OC-PLS and PLS-DA models
This study developed a non-invasive, rapid method using near-infrared spectroscopy to authenticate plant-based protein powders and classify adulterants, such as soy, whey, and wheat, in a range of 10-40% adulteration.
Identification of plant proteins in adulterated skimmed milk powder by high-performance liquid chromatography -- mass spectrometry.
This study developed a sensitive mass spectrometry method to identify plant proteins in adulterated skimmed milk powder, enabling the detection of soy and pea proteins in compound feeding stuffs.
Survey of aqueous solubility, appearance, and pH of plant protein powders from carbohydrate and vegetable oil production
Plant protein powders' solubility, appearance, and pH vary based on purity, extraction process, and protein types, affecting their applicability in vegan and vegetarian products.
Modification of plant proteins for improved functionality: A review.
Physical, chemical, and biological processing techniques can enhance the functionality of plant-based protein ingredients, meeting market demand for sustainable, eco-friendly alternatives to animal protein.
Literature Review
Highly CitedInvestigating appropriate molecular and chemical methods for ingredient identity testing of plant-based protein powder dietary supplements
Each of the three diagnostic tools tested for plant-based protein powder ingredient identification showed utility but also challenges, emphasizing the importance of orthogonality in testing.
Rigorous JournalPlant Proteins: Assessing Their Nutritional Quality and Effects on Health and Physical Function
Plant-based proteins offer health and physical function benefits, but their nutritional quality may be inferior to animal proteins.
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Very Rigorous JournalHighly CitedPlant Proteins for Future Foods: A Roadmap
Advances in plant protein technology and knowledge can enhance their functionality and create novel plant-based foods, meeting the global protein needs by 2050.
Rigorous JournalHighly CitedFunctional Performance of Plant Proteins
Plant protein performance in foods can be improved by increasing protein content, using computer modeling, and avoiding industrial production methods.
Rigorous JournalHighly CitedPlant proteins as high-quality nutritional source for human diet
Plant proteins offer a diverse, high-quality nutritional source for human diet, with potential for reducing animal protein dependence and meeting environmental and social needs.
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