Pea Protein Composition for Consistent Gelation Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pea protein ingredients exhibit inconsistent viscoelastic properties, particularly in gelation, due to variations in globulin content, especially convicilin, which affects texture and stability in food and cosmetic applications, lacking a uniform and predictable gelation pattern.
Innovation Solution
Modifying the nucleotide sequence of genes encoding convicilin and vicilin in pea plants to alter the vicilin to convicilin ratio, reducing convicilin expression and increasing vicilin expression, thereby improving gelation properties through targeted genetic modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pea protein ingredients are used in food and cosmetic applications, then plant-based alternative products can be produced, but inconsistent viscoelastic properties and unpredictable gelation patterns occur due to variations in globulin content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the vicilin to convicilin ratio through genetic modification of pea plants. Specifically, it alters the expression levels of these globulin proteins to achieve a standardized ratio that ensures consistent gelation behavior, directly addressing the reliability issue caused by natural composition variations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces natural, uncontrolled biological variation with engineered genetic modification. By introducing specific genetic changes that control protein expression ratios, it substitutes the natural mechanical/biological system with a controlled genetic system that produces predictable gelation properties
2Ease of manufacture
If thermal and mechanical treatment is applied to pea protein, then aggregation occurs, but this leads to undesired aggregation and poor textural performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-modifying the genetic composition of pea plants before processing. By establishing the optimal vicilin to convicilin ratio at the genetic level prior to any thermal or mechanical treatment, the protein material is pre-conditioned to resist undesired aggregation during subsequent processing, ensuring both ease of manufacture and manufacturing precision
3Quantity of substance
If convicilin content is high in pea protein, then protein content is increased, but gelation properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between types of proteins rather than treating all protein content equally. It specifically targets the vicilin to convicilin ratio, allowing high total protein content while maintaining excellent gelation properties by optimizing the local composition of specific globulin types
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the compositional parameter of the vicilin to convicilin ratio to resolve the contradiction. By establishing an optimal ratio through genetic modification, it achieves both high protein content and reliable gelation properties, eliminating the trade-off between quantity and quality
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2E
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention is directed to plant-based protein ingredients suitable for use in consumables, including vegetarian or vegan meat or dairy analogues. The plant-based proteins have desirable organoleptic properties stemming from improved methodologies in plant genetics.