Location: Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research
2023 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Resolve the underlying biochemical mechanisms involved in effective texturization of plant proteins to enable increased commercial use of bean-based ingredients.
Objective 2: Develop innovative methods for texturization of plant-based proteins and assess the effects of these technologies on food product quality and sensory characteristics to enable the development of new products.
Approach
In recent times, there has been a rising demand from consumers for high protein foods. As a result, global protein markets are expected to expand with increasing consumer health consciousness and growing demand for plant-based food. Along with these current trends, there is a looming food deficit on the horizon. By 2050, global food production will need to increase by 70% to feed the rapidly growing world population. To accomplish this, roughly 33% of dietary protein will need to come from protein isolates derived from alternative sources. US agricultural commodities like pulse crops, oil seeds, cereals, hemp, and others can be utilized to fill these protein deficits. To support utilization of these commodities, research is needed to identify components linked to functional, nutritional, and organoleptic quality of protein isolates and texturized vegetable protein, and high moisture meat analogs made from them. Because this is an emerging area of study, there is a lack of scientific literature and understanding related to the biochemical and processing factors that influence quality of these products. Identifying the mechanisms behind product variability will provide avenues to reduce it. The goals of this research are to decrease global food shortages and increase value of US agricultural commodities by advancing strategies to incorporate alternative proteins into the human diet. This research will enhance the functionality of alternative protein isolates, texturized vegetable proteins, and high moisture meat analogs through optimization of processing and biochemical modifications while maintaining or improving their sensory quality. Technologies such as extrusion will be used to yield texturized proteins and meat analogues, and analytical and affective sensory analysis methods will be used to assess end-use quality. The central hypothesis of this project is that alternative protein functionality and quality is dependent on the synergistic effects of processing techniques as well as the biochemistry of the starting material.
Progress Report
This project initiated after the deadline for ad hoc review (April 2022). Therefore, there is no 5-year plan and no milestones. It is currently operating at 0.2/1.2 SY FTE.
FPSQ has significantly advanced the modernization of facilities and infrastructure to accommodate the new research project. The research unit has acquired an extruder for producing texturized vegetable proteins and high moisture meat analogues. Additionally, they are refurbishing existing membrane filtration systems and other protein isolation equipment to produce protein isolates in-house.
ARS researchers have started biochemical characterization and screening of seed germplasms. Pulse crops and other less common alternative protein sources exhibit a highly variable protein profile compared to soy and many cereal grains. Methods are being developed to screen the protein profiles and composition of these crops to better define the variability. This information will lead to potential processing solutions to the problem and this information will be provided to breeders and geneticists to identify causes and solutions. Ultimately, this work will result in more uniform protein isolates, improving performance during the scale-up of alternative protein products.
ARS scientists in New Orleans, Louisiana, have started the planning and initial phases of characterizing the flavor and texture attributes of commercially available plant-based meat products. This involves using descriptive sensory analysis techniques, including the development of lexicons and quantitative descriptive analysis, based on the type of product and raw materials used. The information gathered will help identify sensory defects and areas for improvement.
Under a NACA agreement with Washington State University, ARS researchers are producing and supplying pulse proteins for evaluation of their texturizing abilities. The researchers are assessing the biochemical characteristics of the raw materials and protein isolates before and after extrusion. Washington State University is conducting experiments to vary extrusion processing parameters, such as material feed rate, feed moisture, screw speed, screw configuration, and die dimensions, to control mechanical and thermal energy input. The resulting samples are being analyzed using physicochemical analyses, confocal and scanning electron microscopy, and rheological techniques to determine texturization and potential protein modifications. This data, combined with protein chemistry of the raw seeds and isolated proteins, will be used to identify pulse varieties that consistently produce high-quality, high-moisture meat analogues. Additionally, the ARS scientists in New Orleans, Louisiana, hosted and mentored a Ph.D. student over the 2023 Summer months to determine the chemical properties resulting from texturization of experimental texturized protein extrudates. Yield and extrusion energy inputs will be determined to help assess the effectiveness of the developed processes.
Accomplishments
Review Publications
Sadeghi, R., Colle, M., Smith, B. 2023. Protein composition of pulses and their protein isolates from different sources and in different isolation pH using a reverse phase high performance chromatography method. Food Chemistry. 409. Article 135278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.135278.
Yazar, G., Kokini, J., Smith, B. 2023. Comparison of mixing and non-linear viscoelastic properties of carob germ glutelins and wheat glutenin. Food Hydrocolloids. 143 Article 108922. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2023.108922.
Taghvaei M, Sadeghi R, Smith B. 2022. Seed to seed variation of proteins of the yellow pea (Pisum sativum L.). PLoS ONE 17(8): e0271887.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0271887
Choi, H., Taghvaei, M., Smith, B., Ganjyal, G. 2022. Biochemical analysis of protein compositions among pea (Pisum sativum) cultivars grown in the Northwest U.S. ACS Food Science and Technology. 2:1067-1076. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.1c00460.
