The need for partial or total substitution of animal protein sources by vegetable sources of high protein quality with good sensory acceptance is a promising alternative. The objective was to develop a hamburger with vegetable protein using a mixture design based on quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), Peruvian Andean corn (Zea mays) and Andean lupine (Lupinus mutabilis Sweet). The design of these mixtures allowed obtaining eleven formulations, three of which were selected for complying with the amino acid intake for adults recommended by FAO. Then, a completely randomized design was applied to the selected samples plus a commercial product. Proximal composition was measured on a dry basis (protein, fat, carbohydrates, and ash), calculation of the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) and a sensory analysis was carried out using the Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) method with acceptability in 132 regular consumers of vegetarian products. Protein, fat, carbohydrate, and ash contents ranged from 18.5&ndash:24.5, 4.1&ndash:7.5, 65.4&ndash:72.1 and 2.8&ndash:5.9%, respectively. The use of Andean crops favored the protein content and the contribution of sulfur amino acids (SAA) and tryptophan from quinoa and lysine and threonine from lupin. The samples with Andean crops were described as easy to cut, soft, good, healthy, legume flavor, tasty and light brown, however the commercial sample was characterized as difficult to cut, hard, dark brown, uneven color, dry and grainy. The sample with 50% quinoa and 50% lupin was the most acceptable and reached a digestibility of 0.92. It complied with the lysine, threonine, and tryptophan intake, with the exception of SAA, according to the essential amino acid pattern proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

La necesidad de sustitución parcial o total de fuentes de proteína animal por fuentes vegetales de alta calidad proteica con buena aceptación sensorial es una alternativa prometedora. El objetivo fue desarrollar una hamburguesa con proteína vegetal utilizando un diseño de mezcla a base de quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd. ), maíz andino peruano (Zea mays) y lupino andino (Lupinus mutabilis Sweet). La composición proximal se midió en base seca (proteína, grasa, carbohidratos y cenizas), el cálculo del Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) y se realizó un análisis sensorial utilizando el método Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) con aceptabilidad en 132 consumidores regulares de productos vegetarianos. Los contenidos de proteínas, grasas, carbohidratos y cenizas variaron de 18.5 a 24.5, 4.1 a 7.5, 65.4 a 72.1 y 2.8 a 5.9%, respectivamente. El uso de cultivos andinos favoreció el contenido proteico y el aporte de aminoácidos azufrados (AAS) y triptófano de quinua y lisina y treonina de altramuz. Las muestras con cultivos andinos fueron descritas como fáciles de cortar, suaves, buenas, saludables, sabor leguminosas, sabrosas y de color marrón claro, sin embargo la muestra comercial se caracterizó como difícil de cortar, dura, marrón oscuro, color desigual, seca y granulada. La muestra con 50% de quinua y 50% de altramuz fue la más aceptable y alcanzó una digestibilidad de 0,92. Cumplió con la ingesta de lisina, treonina y triptófano, con la excepción de AAS, de acuerdo con el patrón de aminoácidos esenciales propuesto por la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación. | LIMA | Escuela de Posgrado | Ciencia de los alimentos

This thesis was done in collaboration with the department of Food Technology at LTH, Aventure AB, and Arwa Foodtech AB. The aim of the project was to develop the base for a baobab based, spoonable protein snack, comparable to quarg but free from ingredients of animal origin. At the time of writing, one of the biggest if not the biggest trend in the food industry is the replacement of animal-sourced proteins with plant-based proteins. Another big trend is the “clean label” trend, i.e., consumers rejecting food additives and preferring less processed foods. Arwa Foodtech AB is a company that specializes in the use of baobab fruit, an acidic, pectin-rich fruit hailing from sub-Saharan Africa. Since Arwa Foodtech is built around the baobab fruit, our formulation should be based on baobab as well. Several plant protein powders from different suppliers were assessed for the project, and PDCAAS for all possible protein combinations between the powders were calculated. Pea protein and Oat protein was selected as the best combination, with a PDCAAS over 100% when combined at a ratio of 44% Oat and 56% Pea. It quickly became clear that the biggest challenge when working with plant proteins was the mealy mouthfeel caused by protein insolubility. To fight this, the influence of pH and salt concentration on mealiness was investigated, and it was found that low pH and high salt content resulted in a smoother mouthfeel. However, this led to the formulation having an unacceptably tart taste. This was balanced by adding sweetness in the form of apple juice concentrate. The influence of protein concentration and cooking temperature on the gel strength of the product was investigated as well, and was compared to the gel strength of several competing products. The results showed that our formulation had very similar yield- and breakpoints to commercial products, indicating similar consumer experience from the product. After further sensory analysis, a final formulation was decided, containing baobab fruit, pea protein concentrate, oat protein concentrate, apple juice concentrate, water, coconut oil, and salt. The formulation has no E-numbered additives, has a protein content of 7,8 grams per 100g, 20,6 E% from protein, and has a PDCAAS score of 100%. This base is now ready for further development at Arwa Foodtech in order to colour and flavour the base, thus creating nutritious and sustainable products ready for the supermarket shelves. | Baobab is a fruit from Sub-Saharan Africa, which has been consumed in local diets for as long as anyone can remember. It has a hard shell and hard seeds surrounded by a white fruit pulp. This fruit pulp is acidic (meaning it has a low pH, around 3,0), and contains a lot of pectin. Pectin is a type of molecule that makes liquids turn into gels, which can be seen in marmalade for example. Not only does Baobab have a unique and pleasant taste, it is also very nutritious, as it contains a lot of vitamins and minerals. In order to create a more sustainable future for the food industry, Arwa Foodtech AB wants to use the baobab fruit to replace animal-based ingredients, since it has the potential to do so, but is far better for the environment. In this particular project, Baobab has been used to create a base for a plant-based, spoonable protein snack, similar to a dairy-based quarg. Baobab has two main functions in the product: 1. The low pH of the Baobab along with a touch of salt helps the plant proteins added to the mix become solubilized. This makes the product taste smooth rather than mealy. 2. The pectin in the Baobab makes the product thicker and makes it more like the quarg it aims to mimic. In addition to Baobab, the product also contains Water, Oat protein concentrate, Pea protein concentrate, Apple juice concentrate, Coconut oil, and Salt. That means that not only is it suitable for vegans, it is also free from additives and added sugar, which is becoming increasingly appreciated by consumers. Thanks to careful optimization of the ratio of Oat to Pea protein, the product has a protein quality score (PDCAAS) at 100%, which is usually only achieved by animal proteins. By tweaking the cooking temperature and the protein content, the recipe was made to mimic the gel behaviour of commercial quargs and plant-based alternatives, giving the consumer a similar eating experience as a “normal” quarg. After almost six months of development, the base is now ready for the finishing touches, or in other words, some flavour and colour, and then the product will be ready for the supermarket shelves. By sharing the discoveries on how different parameters influence the sensory and physiochemical properties of a plant-protein based formulation, we hope to make future developments of similar products easier and more efficient.

This opinion paper presents a short review of the potential impact of protein on muscle anabolism in cancer, which is associated with better patient outcomes. Protein source is a topic of interest for patients and clinicians, partly due to recent emphasis on the supposed non-beneficial effect of proteins; therefore, misconceptions involving animal-based (e.g., meat, fish, dairy) and plant-based (e.g., legumes) proteins in cancer are acknowledged and addressed. Although the optimal dietary amino acid composition to support muscle health in cancer is yet to be established, animal-based proteins have a composition that offers superior anabolic potential, compared to plant-derived proteins. Thus, animal-based foods should represent the majority (i.e., ≥65%) of protein intake during active cancer treatment. A diet rich in plant-derived proteins may support muscle anabolism in cancer, albeit requiring a larger quantity of protein to fulfill the optimal amino acid intake. We caution that translating dietary recommendations for cancer prevention to cancer treatment may be inadequate to support the pro-inflammatory and catabolic nature of the disease. We further caution against initiating an exclusively plant-based (i.e., vegan) diet upon a diagnosis of cancer, given the presence of elevated protein requirements and risk of inadequate protein intake to support muscle anabolism. Amino acid combination and the long-term sustainability of a dietary pattern void of animal-based foods requires careful and laborious management of protein intake for patients with cancer. Ultimately, a dietary amino acid composition that promotes muscle anabolism is optimally obtained through combination of animal- and plant-based protein sources.

This study was conducted to evaluate the protein quality of low-molecular weight water-soluble chicken breast powder (LWCP) by the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS), which is a combination of the chemical score of the limiting amino acid multiplied by the true digestibility of the protein. The LWCP was hydrolyzed using by foodpro® alkaline protease for 4 hours at 55°C and was then further hydrolyzed with a combination of three enzymes (prozyme 2000P, bromelain, and papain) for 2 hours. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) was used to measure the molecular weight distribution of the LWCP, isolated soy protein (ISP), and whey protein isolate (WPI). The protein quality of the LWCP was evaluated and compared with vegetable protein (ISP) and two animal proteins (WPI and casein). The protein quality was evaluated using a rodent bioassay of the protein digestibility and the amino acid composition of the LWCP was determined via high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Test diets were supplied for five days after an adaptation period of 4 days, to an animal model comprising 21∼28 days old SD rats with an average body weight of 70∼80 g. During the balance period, the nitrogen contents in the feces were assayed. As a result of estimating the weighted average molecular weight using GPC, the LWCP was observed to have a smaller value (Mw 675) than those of the ISP (Mw 995) and WPI (Mw 6,666). The protein efficiency ratio and net protein ratio of the LWCP were 2.9 and 4.9, respectively. The PDCAAS value of the LWCP was 128.8% which was significantly higher than those of the ISP and WPI. These results suggest that LWCP appears to be a promising protein source with good biological values and digestibility.

This study investigated the characterization of proteins from the Irish limpet (Patella vulgata) and assessed the in vitro biological activities of hydrolysates obtained following gastrointestinal digestion (INFOGEST) of a limpet protein concentrate (LPC). The physicochemical properties and the digestibility of the LPC were investigated, along with the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition and antioxidant activities of the LPC-digested samples. All the digested samples examined outperformed the LPC in terms of activity. Peptides were identified using LC–MS/MS after digestion. A total of 38 and 19 peptides were identified in LPC-G and LPC-GI, respectively, using a database search and a de novo approach. Most of the identified peptides had hydrophobic amino acids, which may contribute to their antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activities. The findings of this study showed that LPC has high nutritional quality with good digestibility and could serve as a potential source of antioxidative and ACE inhibitory peptides following gastrointestinal digestion.

Objective: The aim of this work was to evaluate the protein quality and the effects of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) ingestion on liver, spleen and tibial length in experimental animals. Method: For analysis of protein quality and feed efficacy, a 28-day biological assay and 18 Wistar rats were used, calculating the protein efficiency coefficient (PER), net protein ratio (NPR), chemical score corrected for protein digestibility (PDCAAS), utilization of liquid protein (NPU), in vivo digestibility and food efficiency coefficient (CEA) (AOAC). Results: Significant differences were found between PER, NPR, NPU and CEA values for quinoa (0.54; 2.58; 26.22 and 0.05, respectively) and casein (2.04; 3.84; 59 .9; 0.2, respectively). As for the proximate composition, values of 11.31% of protein, 11.28% of moisture, 2.04% of ash, 7.9% of lipids and 67.47% of carbohydrates were found. No significant differences were found between digestibility values of casein (96.93%) and quinoa (92.2%). The PDCAAS value found for quinoa was 0.97. There were significant differences in relation to organ weights, except for the weight of the tibia, with casein having greater weight. Conclusion: The lowest PER, NPR, NPU and CEA values demonstrated that quinoa protein had a lower quality than milk, but that the digestibility and PDCAAS values prove that it has good protein quality and an interesting amino acid profile, requiring further studies to assess its nutritional value.