Strategies to promote the lupin proteins as a new and safe functional food ingredient: Assessment of oxidative and physical stability of food emulsions and allergenic potential

The demand of the ever-growing world population for dietary protein is no longer sustainable through animal products alone. In this context, the food industry is urged to find methods to meet the demands of high-quality plant-based proteins. Lupins are an interesting crop that produce large seeds containing high protein level (30- 40%).

Nevertheless, the commercial value of lupins is primarily based on lupin seed production as stock feed for ruminant and monogastric livestock.

Recently, some research has suggested that pulsed electric fields (PEF) processing could significantly alter the microstructure and macromolecular interactions of proteins and improve their functional and biological properties in a chemical-free and low-heat environment.

The aims of this project are to develop a sustainable method to obtain high-quality lupin seed proteins with biological antioxidant activity and improved functional and emulsifying properties; in addition, to generate reliable data about the impact of the PEF treatment on the allergenic potential of lupin proteins.

Systematic analyzes will be carried out to evaluate the effect of PEF on the physical (secondary structure), chemical (protein content and amino acid profile), biological (antioxidant activity and allergenic properties), functional and emulsifying properties of lupin proteins.

The antioxidant potential of the treated proteins will also be investigated to stabilize fish oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions.

The process proposed in this study has many advantages, such as being clean-label, free of chemical side-reactions, safe, and efficiency.

The data obtained after the execution of this project will support regulatory food agencies aiming to improve the health benefits of lupin-derived products and further expand plant proteins' uses in broader food applications and better meet the increasing protein demands.