Pea protein - gum Arabic gel addition as ingredient to increase protein, fiber and decrease lipid content in muffins...

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutritional Science
• Microbiology

Background:

• Developing food ingredients to enhance nutritional profiles is crucial.
• Protein-polysaccharide gels offer potential for improved food functionality.
• Assessing the impact of novel ingredients on gut health is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a protein-polysaccharide gel (PGEL) as a muffin ingredient.
• To determine PGEL's effect on muffin nutritional, textural, and gut microbiome properties.
• To optimize muffin formulation using PGEL for enhanced characteristics.

Main Methods:

• PGEL was synthesized via complex coacervation of pea protein and gum arabic.
• Mixture design methodology was employed to optimize muffin composition.
• Physicochemical properties, nutritional content, texture, and ex-vivo gut microbiome response were analyzed.

Main Results:

• The optimized muffin with 26% PGEL (PGEL-Muffin) exhibited improved nutritional content (12.03% protein, 7.90% fiber) and desirable texture (4.41 N hardness).
• Compared to control and pea protein powder muffins, PGEL-Muffin showed enhanced nutritional and textural attributes.
• Ex-vivo administration of PGEL-Muffin for 4 days did not alter the gut microbiome composition.

Conclusions:

• PGEL is a viable ingredient for developing muffins with enhanced nutritional and textural properties.
• The use of PGEL in muffins presents an opportunity for creating healthier food products.
• PGEL incorporation does not adversely affect gut microbiome balance, suggesting its safety for digestive health.