High protein yogurt with the incorporation of plant proteins: technological, sensory and protein digestion kinetics aspects

• Grant number: 22/00029-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2022
• End date: November 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Technology
• Principal Investigator: Mirna Lúcia Gigante
• Grantee: Mirna Lúcia Gigante
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Débora Parra Baptista Freitas ; Flavia Maria Netto
• Associated research grant(s): 23/01526-8 - Incorporation of plant protein in high protein yogurt: bioactive potential and modulation of elderly gut microbiota, AP.R

Abstract

Animal proteins are widely used in the food industry. However, there is a change in consumer behavior seeking to reduce the consumption of foods of animal origin and the partial replacement of dairy proteins by plant proteins in dairy products is an interesting strategy to meet this demand. Although desirable, this replacement, even if partial, in dairy products in which structure and functionality are determined by proteins is a technological challenge since it can affect the functional properties, nutritional density and digestibility of the product. In this context, the objectives of this project are to evaluate the effect of partial replacement of dairy proteins by plant proteins in peptide profile, technological and sensory aspects of high protein yogurt, as well as to evaluate the effect of this replacement on gastrointestinal digestion kinetics, bioaccessibility of peptides and minerals. The project will be developed in four stages. In the first stage, plant proteins will be selected for further application in the development of the second stage of the project, in which different high protein yogurt formulations will be produced using dairy and plant proteins. The products obtained will be evaluated for physicochemical and technological characteristics, microstructure and peptide profile. In the third stage, the yogurts will be evaluated for sensory aspects and, in the fourth stage of the project, the protein digestion kinetics and the bioaccessibility of peptides and minerals from yogurts will be evaluated using a semi-dynamic model of in vitro simulation of gastrointestinal digestion. It is expected that the results will contribute to the understanding of the structure, stability, sensory aspects, bioactivity and digestibility of high protein yogurt formulations in which milk proteins were partially replaced by plant proteins. (AU)