Technologies for sustainable plant-based food systems: Removing the plant-based flavours from non-dairy beverages using microwave-vacuum dehydration

Abstract

Greeny/grassy aromas from plant-based proteins create roadblocks in their utilization in animal alternates. Here, we report an optimized low energy vacuum microwave dehydration (VMD) process that can help eliminate the plant-based aromas from pea proteins intended use in non-dairy beverages. Initial moisture content of the pea protein slurry and specific energy of the VMD process was found to play the most critical role in modulating the functional properties and volatile profile of the pea protein. VMD-processed pea proteins with initial moisture content of 162% d.b. and processed at 100 W/g microwave energy and 200 Torr vacuum-level for 2.5 min (250 J/g specific energy) were found optimal for retaining functional properties and minimizing volatile concentrations. Descriptive sensory evaluations of a non-dairy beverage (5% pea protein) formulated using the optimized protein was perceived to have significantly weaker (p < 0.05) raw/beany and green/grassy aromas with weak notes of goaty/caproic acid aroma and significantly increased (p < 0.05) chalky flavour. Industrial significanceWe contend that this low-energy VMD process could supplant the energy intensive direct steam injection process used currently, reducing the environmental footprint of producing animal alternate products, securing the future of plant-based sustainable food systems.