Impact of Fermentation on the Technofunctional and Digestibility Properties of Oat-Based Cheese

The production of high-quality plant protein as sustainable alternative for animal proteins is an immediate requirement for the EU population.

FerOtChee is a multidisciplinary project that focuses on the development of fermented plant-based Mozzarella-style cheese using oat protein.

The challenges associated with the nutritional and technofunctional properties of oat protein will be addressed using innovative solutions: a) Blending: Oat protein will be partially replaced with pea protein as a complementary source.

This approach has a potential to create protein hybrids with a balanced amino acid profile; b) Chemical modification: Enzymatic hydrolysis may improve the technofunctional properties of oat protein.

It can also lead to the generation of lower molecular weight peptides with health-promoting effects; and c) Microbial fermentation: This will be the main strategy employed in FerOtChee to enhance the nutritional quality of oat protein.

During submerged fermentation, microbial strains will be cultivated individually or in a co-cultivation setup using an oat-enriched protein substrate.

Microbial enzymes e.g., proteolytic, cell-wall degrading, and antinutritional factor (ANF)-degrading enzymes generated during fermentation will target issues like poor digestibility, low recovery, and high ANF content in oat protein.

The oat cheese will undergo assessment for technofunctional properties, in vitro digestibility, biological activities and the level ANF.

The optimised process, which results in the production of high-quality fermented cheese at the lab scale will be transferred to a food-grade pilot plant. The majority of this project will be carried out at UCD (main host).

The Fellow will also engage in two secondments: 1) Scientific secondment at INRAe-Rennes for study of in vitro digestibility using INFOGEST; and 2) Industry placement at Tirln to upscale the process. The Fellow will also undergo a training plan that encompasses scientific and transferrable skills.