Modifying the plant proteins techno-functionalities by novel physical processing technologies: a review

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Protein Chemistry
• Sustainable Food Processing

Background:

• Plant proteins are increasingly demanded for their environmental and health benefits over animal proteins.
• Limited techno-functionalities, digestibility, and anti-nutritional compounds hinder widespread plant protein application in foods.

Approach:

• This review explores Novel Physical Processing Technologies (NPPT) for modifying plant protein techno-functionalities.
• It discusses the impact of NPPTs on protein structure, function, and interactions with other food components.
• The combined application of NPPTs for enhancing plant-based bioactive functionalities is also investigated.

Key Points:

• NPPTs offer promising, energy-efficient alternatives to conventional thermal treatments for plant protein modification.
• These technologies can improve protein functionality, enhance bioactive peptide formation, and reduce anti-nutritional factors.
• Effectiveness of NPPTs is protein-specific and depends on processing conditions and environmental factors.

Conclusions:

• NPPTs are crucial for developing novel functional food systems based on plant proteins.
• Further research is needed to optimize NPPTs for diverse plant protein sources and applications.
• NPPTs hold significant potential for advancing the clean label movement and sustainable food production.