Effects of Aronia polyphenols on the physico-chemical properties of whey, soy, and pea protein isolate dispersions

Mackenzie M Hansen,Yrjö H Roos,Richard W Hartel

doi:10.1186/s43014-021-00074-w

Mackenzie M Hansen, Yrjö H Roos + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s43014-021-00074-w

Copy DOI

Abstract

Bioactive compounds including polyphenols (PP) have been observed to naturally form non-covalent complexation interactions with proteins under mild pH and temperature conditions, affecting protein structures and functionality. Previously, addition of Aronia berry PP to liquid dispersions containing whey protein isolate (WPI) and sucrose was found to alter characteristics including viscosity, surface tension, and particle sizes, with changes being attributed to protein-PP interactions. In this study we aimed to investigate whether Aronia PP would interact with soy and pea protein isolates (SPI and PPI, respectively) to a similar extent as with WPI in liquid protein-sucrose-PP mixtures. We hypothesized that formulations containing PPI (comprised of larger proteins) and hydrolyzed SPI (containing more carboxyl groups) may exhibit increased viscosities and decreased aggregate sizes due to enhanced protein-PP interactions. Concentrated liquid dispersions of varied ratios of protein to sucrose contents, containing different protein isolates (WPI, SPI, and PPI), and varied Aronia PP concentrations were formulated, and physical properties were evaluated to elucidate the effects of PP addition. PP addition altered physical characteristics differently depending on the protein isolate used, with changes attributed to protein-PP interactions. SPI and PPI appeared to have higher propensities for PP interactions and exhibited more extensive shifts in physical properties than WPI formulations. These findings may be useful for practical applications such as formulating products containing fruit and proteins to obtain desirable sensory attributes.Graphical abstract

Highlights

As consumers’ interest towards bioactives-containing health foods grows, so does the demand for novel products with high protein contents and fruit components
The aim of this study is to investigate whether Aronia PP interact with plant-based soy protein isolates (SPI) and pea protein isolates (PPI) to a similar extent as with whey protein isolate (WPI) in liquid proteinsucrose-PP mixtures, as demonstrated in our previous work
Water hydration capacity of WPI, SPI, and PPI powders, reported as grams of water absorbed per gram of protein isolate powder after centrifugation a single, viscous phase remained, giving a WHC value of 0 g of water absorbed per gram of WPI (Kneifel et al 1991; Resch & Daubert 2002)

Summary

Introduction

As consumers’ interest towards bioactives-containing health foods grows, so does the demand for novel products with high protein contents and fruit components. Especially whey protein isolate (WPI) with its wide range of functionality, continue to be favored for developing products with high nutritional value (Kulmyrzaev et al 2000; Cao & Xiong 2017; Hansen et al 2021a). Consumers are demonstrating increased interest in shifting their diets away from animal-sourced proteins for health, social, and environmental reasons, placing higher demand on plantbased nutritional options (Aschemann-Witzel & Peschel 2019). Soybeans are a rich alternative source of highquality but inexpensive globular proteins, and soy protein isolates (SPI) are increasingly popular for product development (Li 2005). Pea protein isolates (PPI) provide another alternative in formulated food products. As constituent protein sources are changed, the functional properties of the resulting food products will be altered due to variations in the Hansen et al Food Production, Processing and Nutrition (2021) 3:29 composition and physicochemical properties of the different protein sources

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion