Are Faba Bean and Pea Proteins Potential Whey Protein Substitutes in Infant Formulas? An In Vitro Dynamic Digestion Approach.

Linda Le Roux,Amélie Deglaire,Romain Jeantet,Olivia Ménard,Françoise Nau,Didier Dupont,Raphaël Chacon

doi:10.3390/foods9030362

Abstract

Infant formulas (IFs) are used as substitutes for human milk and are mostly based on cow milk proteins. For sustainability reasons, animal protein alternatives in food are increasingly being considered, as plant proteins offer interesting nutritional and functional benefits for the development of innovative IFs. This study aimed to assess how a partial substitution (50%) of dairy proteins with faba bean and pea proteins influenced the digestibility of IFs under simulated dynamic in vitro digestion, which were set up to mimic infant digestion. Pea- and faba bean-based IFs (PIF and FIF, respectively) have led to a faster aggregation than the reference milk-based IF (RIF) in the gastric compartment; that did not affect the digesta microstructure at the end of digestion. The extent of proteolysis was estimated via the hydrolysis degree, which was the highest for FIF (73%) and the lowest for RIF (50%). Finally, it was apparent that in vitro protein digestibility and protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS)-like scores were similar for RIF and FIF (90% digestibility; 75% PDCAAS), but lower for PIF (75%; 67%). Therefore, this study confirms that faba bean proteins could be a good candidate for partial substitution of whey proteins in IFs from a nutritional point of view, provided that these in vitro results are confirmed in vivo.

Highlights

Infant formulas (IFs) are primarily marketed as powders and used as substitutes for human milk; IFs are made to mimic the nutritional composition of human milk as much as possible.IF powders are made using spray drying technology, which extends their shelf-life and aids in handling, especially when compared to liquid IFs [1]
This study aimed to explore the possibility of substituting whey proteins usually added to skimmed cow milk to formulate first age IFs with alternative plant-based proteins, wherein they would represent 50% of the total protein content
We examined pea and faba bean proteins, as they have been considered worthy of further investigation due to their Essential Amino Acid (EAA) profile, which is compatible with the nutritional requirements of the infants

Summary

Introduction

IF powders are made using spray drying technology, which extends their shelf-life and aids in handling, especially when compared to liquid IFs [1] Their macronutrient (carbohydrates, fat, and proteins) and micronutrient (minerals and vitamins) content is defined to cover the nutritional requirements for infants, with particular attention given to protein intake, which is essential early in life [2]. The sources of protein allowed for first age IFs (0 to 6 months) are either cow milk’s protein, goat’s milk protein, soy protein isolate, or hydrolyzed rice protein [4]. In this last regulation, it was mentioned that other ingredients could be used in IFs if their safety and nutritional balance were in accordance with infant requirements.

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