Agglomerated Pea Protein for Clean-Label Texture
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to provide food and beverage products with improved texture and mouthfeel without using synthetic ingredients, while also achieving nutritional balance and great taste.
Innovation Solution
The method involves creating agglomerates of pea protein by adding specific levels of divalent cations, such as calcium, to an aqueous ingredient composition, followed by heat treatment within a controlled pH and temperature range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If synthetic ingredients or stabilizers are used to improve texture and mouthfeel, then viscosity and mouthfeel are improved, but the product contains synthetic additives that consumers want to avoid
Solution Approach 1:
Divalent cations act as intermediaries that mediate between pea protein molecules, facilitating agglomerate formation and improving mouthfeel without requiring synthetic stabilizers or hydrocolloids. The cations bridge protein molecules together to create the desired texture naturally.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes physical and chemical parameters (adding divalent cations, controlling pH, applying heat treatment) to transform pea protein into agglomerates with improved sensorial properties, eliminating the need for synthetic texture modifiers.
2Quantity of substance
If fat content is reduced to improve health profile, then nutritional quality is improved, but texture and mouthfeel deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts or replaces the texturizing function traditionally provided by fat with pea protein agglomerates formed through divalent cation addition and heat treatment, allowing fat reduction while maintaining mouthfeel.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the physical state and aggregation of pea protein through divalent cation addition and heat treatment, the invention creates agglomerates that provide fat-like mouthfeel properties without the actual fat content.
3Stability of the object's composition
If additional stabilizers or hydrocolloids are added to maintain texture, then viscosity is improved, but product complexity and ingredient list increase
Solution Approach 1:
Pea protein agglomerates formed through divalent cation addition serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide viscosity, improve mouthfeel, and act as a natural stabilizer, eliminating the need for separate additive ingredients.
Solution Approach 2:
Divalent cations serve as intermediaries that enable pea protein to self-assemble into agglomerates with stabilizing properties, replacing the need for external stabilizers or hydrocolloids.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in increased viscosity with a smooth mouthfeel, allowing for reduced fat content and the formulation of texturized products without additional stabilizers or hydrocolloids, while maintaining optimal sensorial properties.
Implementation Method 1
adding to the ingredient composition 4.0 - 20 mM of divalent cations available to complex the pea protein
Implementation Method 2
subsequently heat treating the ingredient composition at a pH of 6.6 - 7.3 to form agglomerates comprising pea protein wherein the heat treatment is performed at a temperature of 80°C to 125°C for a period of 30 seconds to 20 minutes
Implementation Method 3
heat treating the ingredient composition to form agglomerates comprising pea protein
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of producing a food or beverage product, in particular to a method for forming agglomerated pea proteins in an ingredient composition. The invention also relates food or beverage product comprising agglomerated pea proteins.