Techno-Functional, Nutritional and Environmental Performance of Protein Isolates from Blue Lupin and White Lupin

Abstract

Similarly prepared protein isolates from blue lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) and white lupin (L. albus) were assessed in relation to their composition, functional properties, nutritional attributes and environmental impacts. Blue lupin protein isolate (BLPI) and white lupin protein isolate (WLPI) were found to be quite similar in composition, although differences in the electrophoretic protein profiles were apparent. Both lupin protein isolates (LPIs) had good protein solubility (76.9% for BLPI and 69.8% for WLPI at pH 7) and foaming properties. However, a remarkable difference in heat gelation performance was observed between BLPI and WLPI. WLPI had a minimum gelling concentration of 7% protein, whereas BLPI required 23% protein in order to form a gel. WLPI also resulted in stronger gels over a range of concentrations compared to BLPI. Nutritional properties of both LPIs were similar, with no significant differences in in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD), and both had very low trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA) and fermentable oligo-, di- and monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) content. The amino acid profiles of both LPIs were also similar, with sulfur-containing amino acids (SAAs) being the limiting amino acid in each case. Environmental impacts revealed by the life cycle assessment (LCA) were almost identical for BLPI and WLPI, and in most categories the LPIs demonstrated considerably better performance per kg protein when compared to cow’s whole milk powder.

The Effect of Fermentation with Kefir Grains on the Physicochemical and Antioxidant Properties of Beverages from Blue Lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) Seeds

“…The new kefir-like products might represent important foods providing live microorganisms to vegetarians with a limited availability of fermented products, and some interesting results have been reported for utilization of plant substrates such as flaxseed oil cake [ 11 ], rice [ 17 ], nuts [ 18 , 19 ], and fruits and vegetables [ 20 , 21 , 22 ]. In developing countries, the ever-growing population and the malnutrition problem caused by protein deficits necessitate an increased supply for food proteins [ 23 , 24 ]. Food of animal origin has the disadvantage of being expensive to produce because of the biological inefficiency of converting plant proteins into animal proteins [ 24 ].…”

“…In developing countries, the ever-growing population and the malnutrition problem caused by protein deficits necessitate an increased supply for food proteins [ 23 , 24 ]. Food of animal origin has the disadvantage of being expensive to produce because of the biological inefficiency of converting plant proteins into animal proteins [ 24 ]. In developing countries, there is awareness of the increasing environmental burden [ 23 ].…”

“…Lupin products are valued for their GMO (genetically modified organism) free status, functional food properties, nutritional and health benefits, and seem to be promising as a source of an innovative food ingredient for the food industry [ 25 , 26 , 36 ]. However, contrary to what some people believe, lupin seed is not a novel food, as it has been used for this purpose in Mediterranean, African and Andean regions for many centuries [ 4 , 24 , 29 ]. The current use of lupin whole seed as a food is limited to local dietary habits, and lupin products are mainly produced for people with special dietary needs: Athlete nourishment and various products dedicated to celiac individuals, vegans, and vegetarians [ 4 , 36 ].…”

Milk Alternatives and Non-Dairy Fermented Products: Trends and Challenges

“…Among nutritional issues, mainly related to the chemical composition of the raw materials used, the presence of anti-nutritional factors (ANF) which negatively affect the sensory profile as well as the bioavailability of macro-and micro-nutrients and protein quality (as compared to animal derived) are still one of the main concerns [1,4]. Several approaches have been proposed to improve the nutritional profile of plant-based milk alternatives, and the use of novel protein ingredients [7,8] as well as the occurrence of the fermentation process (spontaneous or driven by selected strains) seem to be valuable options to overcome these drawbacks [4].…”

“…Protein ingredients can be obtained from plant raw materials through different technological processes such as precipitation, fractionation, and extraction. Depending on the plant-matrix and the process employed, techno-functional and nutritional properties greatly change, requiring tailored investigations of the different options [7,8].…”