< Back to previous page

Project

Understanding structure formation during high moisture extrusion of protein-rich soy products

With the increasing interest in and use of plant proteins by food industries, the lack of basic knowledge regarding the behavior of these proteins in several processes is becoming a bottleneck for further exploitation. Soy is an interesting raw material for producing protein-rich food products given its high protein content and good nutritional profile. The main objective of this project proposal is to increase basic knowledge on the impact of processing (extraction, drying, and finally high moisture extrusion (HME)) steps on soy proteins and their functionality. The study will focus on locally cultivated (in Flanders) soy. With a selection of locally grown soy varieties, the impact of different extraction techniques will be explored and used to produce soy protein with high quality on lab scale as well as pilot scale. The nutritional quality will be assessed based on the macronutrient composition, amino acid composition, anti-nutritional factors, allergens and digestibility. A main focus will be on the impact of the HME process on the structure formation of soy based fibrous products and the role of proteins therein. The nature and extent of protein-protein interactions which take place during HME will be investigated as will the macro- and micro-structure of the obtained extrudates. Based on insights gained, targeted strategies will be developed to adapt the HME process to allow obtaining high quality fibrous structure with desirable mechanical properties. The interplay of proteins with other soy constituents (e.g. carbohydrates) in determining structure formation during HME will also be a focus point.

Date:15 Oct 2020 →  Today
Keywords:Soybean protein, High moisture extrusion, Carbohydrate, Meat analogue
Disciplines:Food chemistry
Project type:PhD project