Digestibility of pea and gluten proteins gels in static and dynamic in vitro digestion systems

• Grant number: 24/14656-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Rosiane Lopes da Cunha
• Grantee: Ana Laura Mendonça Nader
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/27354-3 - Architecture of colloidal delivery systems: what is the role of structure on the digestibility?, AP.TEM

Abstract

Currently, there is a great concern among people regarding health and the environment. As a consequence, there has been a significant increase in the interest of industries in alternative food sources, especially proteins, that address sustainability, animal welfare, and health issues. The greatest impact has been observed in the search for alternative proteins from plant sources (plant-based market), with the aim of producing analogs to animal-derived products. In this context, some of the main plant proteins used are pea protein and gluten. However, understanding how these proteins in different food matrices are digested and absorbed by the body is essential for their application. Therefore, the use of in vitro digestion systems, both dynamic and static, can contribute to the evaluation of food digestibility. This project aims to study the digestibility and behavior of cold-set gelled pea and gluten proteins, using dynamic and static in vitro models. Cold-set gels of these proteins will be prepared at different pHs and characterized in terms of rheology, texture, and water-holding capacity. After undergoing in vitro digestion systems, the digested samples will be analyzed for protein hydrolysis percentage, confocal microscopy, and electrophoresis. The results obtained will be important for studying the properties and characteristics of alternative proteins, with a view to application in conventional food products and those targeted at the vegetarian/vegan population.