Mini-review of plant-based protein gel source material and gelation induction

Abstract

People in low- and middle-income countries view plant protein as a cost-effective alternative dietary source. Because of their practical qualities, plant proteins are beneficial for functional food applications. One of the functional characteristics of plant protein that may be further enhanced is the capacity to produce plant-based gel, which can be utilized as a meal textural modification for particular populations like older adults, dysphagia patients, and vegetarians/vegans. However, the features of the plant protein source, which heavily relies on gel induction technology, provide a major obstacle to the creation of food gel from plant-based materials. For a plant-based gel product, four plant groups: legume, cereal, pseudocereal, and vegetable tuber are recognized as possible protein sources. Denaturation, aggregation, and cross-linking are the three main processes by which this protein source creates gel. Aggregation is crucial in determining the gel's physicochemical characteristics. To guarantee the appropriate aggregation for the creation of the desired protein gel formation, induction technology is crucial. In order to denature plant protein for appropriate aggregation, this technology primarily uses physical techniques that either operate without heat (non-thermal technology) or employ heat (thermal technology). For improved plant-based gel quality, the chemical method of pH shifting and ionic strength treatment can be used with the physical method to address the problem of plant protein solubility. A high-quality plant-based gel is a viable food texture modification product that can be produced using an appropriate plant protein source and efficient induction technique.