Development of a High Protein Beverage Based on Amaranth

The objective of this study was to formulate a beverage based on amaranth proteins, stable and nutritious. The process of obtaining the beverage was based on the existing knowledge about starch separation techniques and techno-functional properties of the amaranth proteins. Gums, gellan and xanthan were added to the protein extract and it was heat-treated at 80 °C during 20 min. A beverage with a composition similar to skim cow's milk was obtained (3.42 ± 0.08; 0.60 ± 0.06; 1.9 ± 0.4; 0.43 ± 0.01; 3 and 90.58 ± 0.01% for proteins, lipids, fiber, ashes, carbohydrates and water, respectively). Thermal treatment caused the denaturation and aggregation of the proteins, while the addition of gums induced a decrease in the sensitivity to heat treatment of the proteins. Formation of protein aggregates and gum-protein complexes was characterized by electrophoresis, differential scanning calorimetry, and particle size distribution. Heat treatment and addition of gums generated macrocomplexes with enhanced absolute value of ζ-potential, which contributed to the high colloidal stability of amaranth-based beverage. This beverage is suitable for vegans, celiac patients, and lactose intolerants.