Potential of pulse‐derived proteins for developing novel vegan edible foams and emulsions

Abstract

Chefs around the world strive to go beyond ordinary and garnish dishes with edible foams and emulsions, generally made using proteins derived from soy or animal sources. However, the increasing number of consumers following a vegan diet has led to a higher demand for novel foods formulated using plant-derived proteins. The current study evaluated the functional properties of proteins obtained by alkaline solubilisation from common pulses. Water- and oilholding capacities varied within the ranges 2.39–6.78 and 3.46–6.37 g of water or oil per g or protein concentrate, respectively. Emulsifying capacity and stability was higher at pH values 2.0 and 10.0. A similar trend was observed for foaming capacity and stability. Proteins isolated from fava beans showed the highest foaming capacity, calculated as 56.7 ± 2.9 and 56.7 ± 2.7% when measured at pH 2.0 and 10.0, respectively (P < 0.05). Overall, studied proteins showed potential for their use in edible foams, emulsions and other innovative products.