Identifying microbial proteins and changes in proteome in spontaneously fermented pulse protein isolates

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Proteomics
• Microbiology

Background:

• Pulses offer sustainable plant-based proteins but often lack ideal sensory and functional properties.
• Fermentation is a natural method to enhance food processing, yet spontaneous fermentation's impact on pulse protein composition is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate proteome-level changes during spontaneous fermentation of chickpea, faba bean, and lentil protein isolates.
• To identify microbial proteins and assess their contribution to the overall protein profile.

Main Methods:

• Capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE) for protein size distribution analysis.
• Liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for proteomic analysis.
• Analysis of chickpea, faba bean, and lentil protein isolates undergoing spontaneous fermentation.

Main Results:

• Proteins from diverse bacterial and fungal species were identified across all pulse substrates.
• The abundance and diversity of microbial proteins increased significantly during spontaneous fermentation.
• Hydrolysis of native pulse proteins was observed, correlating with the increase in microbial protein content.

Conclusions:

• Spontaneous fermentation introduces significant microbial protein content into pulse isolates.
• The observed protein hydrolysis suggests a modification of pulse protein functionality due to microbial activity.
• Further research is needed to fully understand the implications for pulse-based ingredient applications.