Replacement of eggs with soybean protein isolates and polysaccharides to prepare yellow cakes suitable for vegetarians

The Preparation and Characterization of Quinoa Protein Gels and Application in Eggless Bread

The properties of xanthan gum protein gels composed of quinoa protein (XG-QPG) and ultrasound-treated quinoa protein (XG-UQPG) were compared for the preparation of high-quality quinoa protein gels. The gel qualities at different pH values were compared. The gels were used to produce eggless bread. Microscopically, the secondary structure of the proteins in XG-QPG (pH 7.0) was mainly α-helix, followed by random coiling. In contrast, the content of β-sheet in XG-UQPG was higher, relative to the viscoelastic properties of the gel. Moreover, the free sulfhydryl groups and disulfide bonds of XG-QPG (pH 7.0) were 48.30 and 38.17 µmol/g, while XG-UQPG (pH 7.0) was 31.95 and 61.58 µmol/g, respectively. A high disulfide bond content was related to the formation of gel networks. From a macroscopic perspective, XG-QPG (pH 7.0) exhibited different pore sizes, XG-UQPG (pH 7.0) displayed a loose structure with uniform pores, and XG-UQPG (pH 4.5) exhibited a dense structure with small pores. These findings suggest that ultrasound can promote the formation of a gel by XG-UQPG (pH 7.0) that has a loose structure and high water-holding capacity and that XG-UQPG (pH 4.5) forms a gel with a dense structure and pronounced hardness. Furthermore, the addition of the disulfide bond-rich XG-UQPG (pH 7.0) to bread promoted the formation of gel networks, resulting in elastic, soft bread. In contrast, XG-UQPG (pH 4.5) resulted in firm bread. These findings broaden the applications of quinoa in food and provide a good egg substitute for quinoa protein gels.

Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Citrullus mucosospermus, Citroides, and Moringa oleifera Seeds' Hydrocolloids

Hydrocolloids form gel-like structures when dispersed in water and have garnered significant attention for their diverse applications in food, pharmaceuticals, and other industries. The extraction of hydrocolloids from natural sources, such as seeds, presents an intriguing avenue due to the potential diversity in composition and functionality. Utilising seeds from Citrullus lanatus mucosospermus, lanatus citroides, and Moringa aligns with the growing demand for natural and sustainable ingredients in various industries. This research investigated hydrocolloids extracted from Citrullus mucosospermus (CMS), lanatus citroides, and Moringa oleifera seeds, highlighting their versatile physicochemical and functional attributes. Hydrocolloids were extracted from the seeds and subjected to analysis of their proximate composition, particle size distribution, and interfacial tension using the hot water extraction method. Protein content variation was observed among the raw oilseed (CMS, Citroides, and Moringa oleifera) flours. The protein content of the hydrocolloids surpassed that of raw oilseeds, significantly enhancing the amino acid profile. Furthermore, the hydrocolloid ash contents ranged from 4.09% to 6.52% w/w dry weight, coupled with low fat levels. The particle size distribution revealed predominantly fine particles with a narrow size distribution. All three hydrocolloids demonstrated remarkable oil- and water-holding capacities, highlighting their suitability for efficient stabilisation and emulsification in food formulations. These findings suggest the potential utilisation of these hydrocolloids as valuable ingredients across a spectrum of applications, encompassing food, pharmaceuticals, and industry, thus contributing to the development of sustainable and functional products. The unique attributes presented herein mark a noteworthy advancement in the understanding and application of novel hydrocolloids from CMS, Citroides, and Moringa oleifera.

Commercial Egg Replacers in Pound Cake Systems: A Comprehensive Analysis of Market Trends and Application

Replacing eggs without influencing pound cakes' texture, appearance, and taste is challenging. Ovalbumin, the major protein in egg white, contributes to the structures of cakes by providing SH Groups that form a firm gel during baking. However, there is a shift in the consumers' behaviour regarding health, well-being, animal welfare standards, and environmental concerns. To meet upcoming trends and consumer needs, 102 egg replacement products were launched globally to the best of the authors' knowledge, with 20 of them advertised as suitable for baking applications. Ten locally available commercial egg replacers with a range of protein contents were chosen and applied in a pound cake model system to evaluate their functionality by evaluating cake and cake batter quality. Three different categories of egg replacements were chosen: replacers containing no protein (R1-R3), a low amount of protein (1-10 g/100 g; R4-R5), and a high amount of protein (>10 g/100 g; R6-R10). Those were compared to three control cakes containing powdered whole egg, fresh egg, and liquid whole egg. All the analysed egg replacers significantly differed from the control cakes, including low-protein egg replacement R4. Despite R4 achieving the highest specific volume (1.63 ± 0.07 mL/g) and comparable texture values, none of the examined egg replacers compared favourably with the egg control cakes regarding appearance, physical and textural properties, and nutritional value.

Composition, functional properties, health benefits and applications of oilseed proteins: A systematic review

Common oilseeds, such as soybean, peanut, rapeseed, sunflower seed, sesame seed and chia seed, are key sources of edible vegetable oils. Their defatted meals are excellent natural sources of plant proteins that can meet consumers' demand for health and sustainable substitutes for animal proteins. Oilseed proteins and their derived peptides are also associated with many health benefits, including weight loss and reduced risks of diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular events. This review summarizes the current status of knowledge on the protein and amino acid composition of common oilseeds as well as the functional properties, nutrition, health benefits and food applications of oilseed protein. Currently, oilseeds are widely applied in the food industry regarding for their health benefits and good functional properties. However, most oilseed proteins are incomplete proteins and their functional properties are not promising compared to animal proteins. They are also limited in the food industry due to their off-flavor, allergenic and antinutritional factors. These properties can be improved by protein modification. Therefore, in order to make better use of oilseed proteins, methods for improving their nutrition value, bioactive activity, functional and sensory characteristics, as well as the strategies for reducing their allergenicity were also discussed in this paper. Finally, examples for the application of oilseed proteins in the food industry are presented. Limitations and future perspectives for developing oilseed proteins as food ingredients are also pointed out. This review aims to foster thinking and generate novel ideas for future research. It will also provide novel ideas and broad prospects for the application of oilseeds in the food industry.

Updates on Plant-Based Protein Products as an Alternative to Animal Protein: Technology, Properties, and Their Health Benefits

Plant-based protein products, represented by "plant meat", are gaining more and more popularity as an alternative to animal proteins. In the present review, we aimed to update the current status of research and industrial growth of plant-based protein products, including plant-based meat, plant-based eggs, plant-based dairy products, and plant-based protein emulsion foods. Moreover, the common processing technology of plant-based protein products and its principles, as well as the emerging strategies, are given equal importance. The knowledge gap between the use of plant proteins and animal proteins is also described, such as poor functional properties, insufficient texture, low protein biomass, allergens, and off-flavors, etc. Furthermore, the nutritional and health benefits of plant-based protein products are highlighted. Lately, researchers are committed to exploring novel plant protein resources and high-quality proteins with enhanced properties through the latest scientific and technological interventions, including physical, chemical, enzyme, fermentation, germination, and protein interaction technology.

Effect of Chia Seed as Egg Replacer on Quality, Nutritional Value, and Sensory Acceptability of Sponge Cake

This study aimed to make a cake by incorporating chia seed flour (CSF) at 0, 3, 5, and 7% with egg replacement at 0, 25, 50, and 100%, respectively. The addition of CSF increased the total proteins, fats, and mineral contents. However, cake volume, uniformity, and symmetry were lowered significantly ( $p>0.05$ ) at an elevated level (5% and 7%) of CSF. Similarly, the cake depicted relatively higher textural hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, and chewiness upon addition of CSF. The higher substitution of CSF resulted in darker crust and crumb with lower sensory acceptability by the panelists, though the 3% CSF addition did not compromise the cake acceptance. Nonetheless, there were a significant rise in total phenolics and better antioxidant activity with CSF, measured as free radical scavenging activity. Most importantly, a massive rise in unsaturated fatty acids (ω-3, ω-6) and the simultaneous decline in total cholesterol were detected with increasing substitution of CSF.

Response surface optimization of cupcake physicochemical and sensory attributes during storage period: Effect of apricot kernel flour addition

Today, the demand for functional products has increased. Apricot kernel is an important source of protein, oil, and fiber and has high antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. In this study, the effect of adding different levels (15% and 30%) of apricot kernel flour (AKF) to the cupcake formulation on the physicochemical, textural, and sensory attributes of the produced cupcake during 14 days of storage was investigated and optimized by the response surface methodology (RSM) to find the optimum cupcake production with respect to maintaining the quality attributes of produced cake during storage period compared with control sample. The results showed that increasing AKF significantly increased the consistency and apparent viscosity of the dough, as well as the volume, height, and percentage of cake baking loss, but the moisture content and hardness of the cake did not show a significant difference compared with the control sample. Also, the crust and crumb color of the samples containing AKF were significantly lighter than the control sample. The results of optimization process showed that addition up to 30% AKF improved the sensory properties such as the crust and crumb color, texture, porosity, aroma, taste, and overall acceptance compared with the control sample. Samples containing 30% AKF were selected as the best formulation by panelists.

Vegan Egg: A Future-Proof Food Ingredient?

Vegan eggs are designed with the aim to provide a healthier and more sustainable alternative to regular eggs. The major drivers of this industry are the increasing prevalence of egg allergies, awareness towards environmental sustainability, and the shift to vegan diets. This study intends to discuss, for the first time, the vegan egg market, including their formulation, nutritional aspects, and some applications (i.e., mayonnaise and bakery products). Recreating the complete functionality of eggs using plant-based ingredients is very challenging due to the complexity of eggs. Current, but scarce, research in this field is focused on making mixtures of plant-based ingredients to fit specific food formulations. Nutritionally, providing vegan eggs with similar or higher nutritional value to that of eggs can be of relevance to attract health-conscious consumers. Claims such as clean labels, natural, vegan, animal-free, gluten-free, and/or cholesterol-free can further boost the position of vegan eggs in the market in the coming year. At present, this market is still in its infancy stages, and clear regulations of labeling, safety, and risk assessment are deemed mandatory to organize the sector, and protect consumers.

Applications of Plant Polymer-Based Solid Foams: Current Trends in the Food Industry

Foams are a type of material of great importance, having an extensive range of applications due to a combination of several characteristics, such as ultra-low density, tunable porous architecture, and outstanding mechanical properties. The production of polymer foams worldwide is dominated by those based on synthetic polymers, which might be biodegradable or non-biodegradable. The latter is a great environmental concern and has become a major waste management problem. Foams derived from renewable resources have aroused the interest of researchers, solid foams made from plant polymers in particular. This review focuses on the development of plant polymer-based solid foams and their applications in the food industry over the last fifteen years, highlighting the relationship between their material and structural properties. The applications of these foams fall mainly into two categories: edible foams and packaging materials. Most plant polymers utilized for edible applications are protein-based, while starch and cellulose are commonly used to produce food packaging materials because of their ready availability and low cost. However, plant polymer-based solid foams exhibit some drawbacks related to their high water absorbency and poor mechanical properties. Most research has concentrated on improving these two physical properties, though few studies give a solid understanding and comprehension of the micro- to macrostructural modifications that would allow for the proper handling and design of foaming processes. There are, therefore, several challenges to be faced, the control of solid foam structural properties being the main one.

Kappa-carrageenan enhances the gelation and structural changes of egg yolk via electrostatic interactions with yolk protein

The effect of κ-carrageenan (κ-C) on yolk over heat-induced gelation at natural yolk pH (6.2) and natural whole egg pH (7.5) was studied. The results showed the zeta potential values changed from -2.3 to -31.3 mV, from -8.6 to -28.6 mV for native pH yolk and pH 7.5 yolk because of the κ-C addition, respectively. These results indicated electrostatic interactions formed between protein and κ-C. The average area of holes formed by yolk gelation increased by κ-C addition. The addition of 1.0% κ-C decreased the gelling points from 62.1 to 54.4 °C, from 64.5 to 61. 6 °C for native pH and pH 7.5 yolk, respectively. A schematic model was established to show that κ-C enhances the yolk properties via electrostatic interactions. And the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy verified the formation of κ-C-protein interactions. This study provides a guidance for designing novel food systems containing yolk and κ-C.

Investigation of food microstructure and texture using atomic force microscopy: A review

We review recent applications of atomic force microscopy (AFM) to characterize microstructural and textural properties of food materials. Based on interaction between probe and sample, AFM can image in three dimensions with nanoscale resolution especially in the vertical orientation. When the scanning probe is used as an indenter, mechanical features such as stiffness and elasticity can be analyzed. The linkage between structure and texture can thus be elucidated, providing the basis for many further future applications of AFM. Microstructure of simple systems such as polysaccharides, proteins, or lipids separately, as characterized by AFM, is discussed. Interaction of component mixtures gives rise to novel properties in complex food systems due to development of structure. AFM has been used to explore the morphological characteristics of such complexes and to investigate the effect of such characteristics on properties. Based on insights from such investigations, development of food products and manufacturing can be facilitated. Mechanical analysis is often carried out to evaluate the suitability of natural or artificial materials in food formulations. The textural properties of cellular tissues, food colloids, and biodegradable films can all be explored at nanometer scale, leading to the potential to connect texture to this fine structural level. More profound understanding of natural food materials will enable new classes of fabricated food products to be developed.

Physicochemical and Structural Characteristics of Soybean Protein Isolates Induced by Lipoxygenase-Catalyzed Linoleic Acid Oxidation during In Vitro Gastric Digestion

The effects of oxidation on the gastric digestion properties of soybean protein isolates (SPIs) in a model of lipoxygenase (LOX)-catalyzed linoleic acid (LA) oxidation system and the multiscale structural characterization of SPI hydrolysate were investigated. Results indicated that the feature of SPI hydrolysate is dependent upon the degree of oxidation. Pepsin hydrolysis caused a red shift in fluorescence intensity and a reduction in surface hydrophobicity and diminished the particle size of SPI hydrolysate during gastric digestion. Compared with the control, mild oxidation was beneficial to protein unfolding and gastric digestibility, as manifested by minimal molecular weight (MW) distribution >50 kDa (32.34%) and smaller peptide fragments under scanning electron microscopy. However, severe oxidation brought about 39.47% loss of free amino acids. It was interesting to find that glycinin was more vulnerable to pepsin hydrolysis after oxidation as compared to the native SPI. Overall, the moderately oxidized SPI appeared to be digested to a greater extent.

Effect of pH-shifting treatment on structural and heat induced gel properties of peanut protein isolate

Modifying proteins with new methods to improve their functional properties is essential to extend their application in food related field. In this study, the effect of pH-shifting treatment on structural and heat induced gel properties of peanut protein isolate (PPI) were investigated. PPI was subject to different pH conditions (pH 2, pH 4, pH 10, and pH 12) for 1 h, then adjusted back to pH 7 and they were marked as PPI2, PPI4, PPI10, and PPI12, respectively. It was found that the breaking force (BF) and water holding capacity (WHC) of PPI10 gel were significantly improved due to the decreased particle size, increased solubility, free sulfhydryl group content and surface hydrophobicity of PPI10. While PPI2 or PPI12 lost their gel ability due to the formation of large protein aggregates. These results indicated that pH-shifting treatment might be a convenient and economical method to prepare PPI with different gel and structural properties.

Amylopectin-Sodium Palmitate Complexes as Sustainable Nanohydrogels with Tunable Size and Fractal Dimensions

Starch-based nanohydrogels with polyelectrolyte characteristics may find unique applications. Herein, the branch chains of amylopectin (AP) were elongated to different extents by amylosucrase, followed by complexation with sodium palmitate (SP) to produce nanohydrogels. Modified AP (mAP) with a longer chain length displayed a better ability to complex with SP, and the mixtures exhibited nanosized particles with an average diameter ranging from 153.5 to 1049.8 nm. The gel strength of bulk nanohydrogels was dependent on the chain length of mAP and SP content, and their fractal dimension was between 1.82 and 2.45. The crystalline structure of native AP was altered from A- to B-type after chain elongation and, subsequently, to B + V-type after complexing with SP. Diffraction peaks of the complexes at 2θ of 7.5°, 12.9°, and 19.8° implied that the AP side chains formed left-handed single helices and the hydrophobic SP was entrapped in the helix cavity.

Tailoring Digestibility of Starches by Chain Elongation Using Amylosucrase from Neisseria polysaccharea via a Zipper Reaction Mode

Amylosucrase from Neisseria polysaccharea (NpAS) was applied to modify waxy corn starch (WCS) and irradiated WCS, whose attenuated digestibility was studied. Herein, the mobility of the reaction mixture did not affect the enzyme catalytic efficiency, and the reaction kinetics suggest that the enzyme elongated the starch chain via a zipper reaction mode. The A-type crystalline structure of native and irradiated WCS was changed to B type after NpAS treatment, and a longer chain length led to a further increase in the gelatinization temperature. Chain elongation increased the content of resistant starch (RS) from 22.3% (native WCS) to be as much as 64.4% for NpAS-modified WCS, accordingly decreasing the contents of both rapidly and slowly digestible starches. Pearson correlation analysis implies that the RS content of NpAS-modified starches was positively and negatively correlated to the proportion of intermediate chains [13 ≤ degree of polymerization (DP) ≤ 24] and short chains (DP ≤ 12), respectively.

Chickpea Cultivar Selection to Produce Aquafaba with Superior Emulsion Properties

Aquafaba (AQ), a viscous by-product solution produced during cooking chickpea or other legumes in water, is increasingly being used as an egg replacement due to its ability to form foams and emulsions. The objectives of our work were to select a chickpea cultivar that produces AQ with superior emulsion properties, and to investigate the impact of chickpea seed physicochemical properties and hydration kinetics on the properties of AQ-based emulsions. AQ from a Kabuli type chickpea cultivar (CDC Leader) had the greatest emulsion capacity (1.10 ± 0.04 m²/g) and stability (71.9 ± 0.8%). There were no correlations observed between AQ emulsion properties and chickpea seed proximate compositions. Meanwhile, AQ emulsion properties were negatively correlated with AQ yield and moisture content, indicating that AQ with higher dry-matter content displayed better emulsion properties. In conclusion, the emulsification properties of aquafaba are greatly influenced by the chickpea genotype, and AQ from the CDC Leader chickpea produced the most stable food oil emulsions.

Evaluating the effect of aminoglycosides on the interaction between bovine serum albumins by atomic force microscopy

Characterization and determination of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) plays an important role in molecular biological science. In this study, the effect of aminoglycosides (AGs: streptomycin, gentamycin, lincomycin and clindamycin) on interactions between bovine serum albumin (BSA) was evaluated employing imaging and probing adhesion event by AFM. Multi-spectroscopy and molecular docking were supplementary to investigate the acting forces of the effect. AFM measurements revealed the aggregation of BSA grains and changes of adhesion forces at single molecule level. With adhesion forces between BSA pairs decomposed by Poisson method, specific forces in streptomycin, gentamycin, lincomycin and climdamycin were obviously decreased with the rate of 33.1%, 26.4%, 32.3% and 31.3% while non-specific forces slightly decreased with 5.5%, 3.3%, 4.0% and 7.7%. Combined with results of multi-spectroscopy as well as molecular docking, the whole determination showed AGs affected PPIs by multiple forces, where the hydrogen bonding and hydration effect were the main reasons. The binding of drugs and proteins acted by hydrogen bonding affected the interaction forces between BSA. Consequently, AFM was proposed to be an effective and precise tool in application including evaluating the effects of exogenous compounds on biomacromolecular interactions and rapid screening of drug candidates to avoid potential damages in disease treatment.

Use of ultrasonicated squid ovary powder as a replacer of egg white powder in cake

Ultrasonicated squid ovary powder (USOP) was used to replace egg white powder (EWP) at different substitution levels (12.5-100%) and its effects on properties of batter and cake were investigated. High elastic modulus (G') and average bubble size of batter added with 100% USOP resulted in higher volume and lower baking loss, when compared to the control cake (100% EWP). For textural analysis, the lowest values of hardness, gumminess and chewiness were noticeable for cake containing 100% USOP. Crust showed the lower moisture content than crumb and bottom part of all the cakes. No difference in moisture content was observed for all parts of the cakes containing 25-100% USOP, while lower moisture content was obtained for cake added with 12.5% USOP and the control. The color difference (ΔE*) between the control and cake added with USOP was increased with increasing USOP levels. When 100% of USOP was added into cake, higher likeness score was obtained for firmness and overall likeness. Microstructure study of cake added with 100% USOP revealed that oil phase was distributed in gluten matrix more uniformly, when compared to the control. Thus, replacement of EWP with 100% USOP resulted in the production of cake with superior quality and increased overall acceptance by consumers.