Formulation, acceptability, chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of novel snack food and meat ball analogue

Faba Bean Flavor Effects from Processing to Consumer Acceptability

Faba beans as an alternative source of protein have received significant attention from consumers and the food industry. Flavor represents a major driving force that hinders the utilization faba beans in various products due to off-flavor. Off-flavors are produced from degradation of amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids during seed development and post-harvest processing stages (storage, dehulling, thermal treatment, and protein extraction). In this review, we discuss the current state of knowledge on the aroma of faba bean ingredients and various aspects, such as cultivar, processing, and product formulation that influence flavour. Germination, fermentation, and pH modulation were identified as promising methods to improve overall flavor and bitter compounds. The probable pathway in controlling off-flavor evolution during processing has also been discussed to provide efficient strategies to limit their impact and to encourage the use of faba bean ingredients in healthy food design.

Fava bean (Vicia faba L.) for food applications: From seed to ingredient processing and its effect on functional properties, antinutritional factors, flavor, and color

The food industry, along with the consumers, is interested in plant-based diet because of its health benefits and environmental sustainability. Vicia faba L. (V. faba) is a promising source of pulse proteins for the human diet and can yield potential nutritional and functional ingredients, namely, flours, concentrates, and isolates, which are relevant for industrial food applications. Different processes produce and functionalize V. faba ingredients relevant for industrial food applications, along with various alternatives within each unit operation used in their production. Processing modifies functional properties of the ingredients, which can occur by (i) changing in overall nutritional composition after processing steps and/or (ii) modifying the structure and conformation of protein and of other components present in the ingredients. Furthermore, V. faba limitations due to off-flavor, color, and antinutritional factors are influenced by ingredient production and processing that play a significant role in their consumer acceptability in foods. This review attempts to elucidate the influence of different ways of processing on the functional, sensory, and safety aspects of V. faba L. ingredients, highlighting the need for further research to better understand how the food industry could improve their utilization in the market.

Food processing for the improvement of plant proteins digestibility

Proteins are essential macronutrients for the human diet. They are the primary source of nitrogen and are fundamental for body structure and functions. The plant protein quality (PPQ) refers to the bioavailability, digestibility, and amino acid composition. The digestibility specifies the protein quantity absorbed by an organism relative to the consumed amount and depends on the protein structure, previous processing, and the presence of compounds limiting the digestion. The latter are so-called antinutritional factors (ANF), exemplified by phytates, tannins, trypsin inhibitors, and lectins. Animal proteins are known to have better digestibility than plant proteins due to the presence of ANF in plants. Thus, the inactivation of ANF throughout food processing may increase the PPQ. New food processing, aiming to increase the digestibility of plant proteins, and new sources of proteins are being studied for the animal protein substitution. Here, it is presented the impact of processing on the protein digestibility and reduction of ANF. Several techniques, such as cooking, autoclaving, germination, microwave, irradiation, spray- and freeze-drying, fermentation, and extrusion enhanced the PPQ. The emerging non-thermal technologies impact on protein functionalities but require studies on the protein digestibility. How to accurately determine and how to improve the protein digestibility of a plant source remains a scientific and technological challenge that may be addressed by novel or combining existing processing techniques, as well as by exploring protein-enriched by-products of the food industry.