Pea Protein Isolate Texture and Viscosity Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current nutritional formulations using pea proteins face challenges such as undesirable sandy sensation, excessive viscosity, and poor sensory properties in reconstituted products, along with limitations in meeting the amino acid profile and digestibility requirements for dietary and clinical applications.

Innovation Solution

Development of a pea protein isolate with specific characteristics, including low viscosity, improved solubility, and enhanced emulsifying capacity, which can replace milk or soy proteins in various food products like drinks, yogurts, creams, and baked goods, while maintaining neutral taste and high digestibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If pea protein is used in powdered nutritional formulations, then cost is reduced and environmental considerations are improved, but undesirable sandy sensation and poor solubility occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepea protein contentVSAvoidsandy sensation
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the particle size distribution of pea protein (D10: 2-5 μm, D50: 8-12 μm, D90: 15-25 μm) and adjusting formulation parameters such as adding solubility-enhancing agents like lecithin (0.1-1% w/w) to transform the harmful sandy sensation into acceptable texture while maintaining high pea protein content

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If pea protein concentration is increased to provide adequate protein content, then nutritional value is improved, but excessive viscosity occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotein contentVSAvoidviscosity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses parameter changes by controlling pea protein particle size (finer particles with D50: 8-12 μm) and adjusting solution conditions (pH 6.5-7.5, temperature 40-60°C during preparation) to enable high protein content (10-50% w/v) while maintaining low viscosity through optimized solvation and preventing protein aggregation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies composite materials by combining pea protein with other ingredients such as carbohydrates (5-20% w/w), fats (0-10% w/w), and solubility-enhancing agents to create a composite nutritional formulation that achieves high protein content without excessive viscosity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Quantity of substance

If pea protein is used as alternative to milk proteins, then cost and environmental impact are improved, but amino acid profile and digestibility requirements are not fully met

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepea protein substitutionVSAvoidnutritional quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials by formulating blends combining pea protein with complementary plant proteins (rice protein, wheat protein) or milk proteins to create a composite protein source that achieves complete amino acid profile meeting FAO/WHO requirements while maintaining the cost and environmental benefits of plant-based proteins

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3407730B1Nutritional formulations comprising a pea protein isolate
Publication Date: 2024.10.09 ROQUETTE FRERES SA
  • EP3407730B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3407730B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3407730B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention concerns a nutritional formulation containing a pea protein isolate, characterised in that the pea protein isolate: has between 0.5 and 2% of free amino acids, has a viscosity: of 13 to 16.10-3 Pa.s. at a shear rate of 10 s-1, of 10 to 14.10-3 Pa.s. at a shear rate of 40 s-1, and of 9.8 to 14.10-3 Pa.s. at a shear rate of 600 s-1, has a solubility: of 30 to 40 % in pH ranges from 4 to 5 and of 40 to 70 % in pH ranges from 6 to 8. The invention also concerns the use of said nutritional formulation as a single protein source or as a food supplement, intended for infants, children and/or adults.