Sustainable Proteins Jo Gould Assistant Professor in Food Science joanne.gould@nottingham.ac.uk
What constitutes protein?
What is protein? Protein is a sequence of amino acids Indispensable amino acids cannot be made by body* must be provided by the body Dispensable amino acids can be made by the body*
What is protein? Tertiary structure Quaternary structure Various bonds and chains combine to give higher levels of organisation Differences in functional properties and bioavailability of the proteins
What is protein? native form Increased digestibility Loss of solubility denaturation Heat Pressure Agitation Salts ph
Why do we eat protein? 1. Nutrition Energy Amino acids Growth & Repair
Nutrition Total protein content Indispensable (essential) amino acids: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine Bioavailability refers to how easy it is for the body to digest, absorb and use a protein in its metabolic processes. Animal proteins are known to have high bioavailability. Animal Protein
Why do we eat protein? 1. Nutrition Energy Amino acids Growth & Repair 2. Organoleptic Texture Appearance Flavour Smell 3. FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES.. any property of a substance, besides the nutritional ones, that affects its utilisation
What are we currently eating? Global protein supply Global Food supply: the world s need for protein. Mike Boland. Riddet Institute
Is this sustainable? In 2011, 90% of global fish stocks were fully or over exploited 15% of all human caused greenhouse gas emissions is caused by livestock production Water footprint for beef is 6 x greater than that of pulses 90% of global soy crops is produced in just 3 countries; USA, Brazil, Argentina the supply of which is at risk due to climate change Just 3 crops maize (corn), wheat and rice account for 50% of the world s consumption of calories and plant protein Soybean cultivation has been a driver for deforestation in South America Forum for the Future: The Future of Protein, Protein Challenge 2040
Is this sustainable? Meat Milk FAO Predictions Year Global Food supply: the world s need for protein. Mike Boland. Riddet Institute
Why do we need sustainable protein? Satiety Gluten free Dairy free
Why should we eat sustainable proteins? Protein matched meals Mushrooms or Ground Beef Greater fullness More fibre No effect on overall energy intake 19 year old study showed diets rich in vegetable proteins had a 35% lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes By replacing 5g of meat protein with vegetable protein risk could reduce by 18%
Publications.. Insect Plant AND vs. Dairy Protein
Sustainable Proteins
Plant Protein Grains, seeds, nuts and pulses Concentrates, isolates, hydrolysates Protein content of soy bean and lupin 45 50% - May not contain all the essential amino acids methionine (pulses) - Anti-nutrients Soybean Protein: Success Story High protein digestibility score comparable to animal proteins Tofu, soymilk, tempeh, miso meat & dairy extenders and analogs
Microbial Protein Derived from microorganisms yeasts, fungi Concentrates or processed to fibres/meat analogs Mycoprotein singled celled protein + All essential amino acids + High digestibility + Low in fat + High in fibre
Sustainable Proteins Future Gazing
Algal Protein Marine plants - Seaweeds and Microalgae Seaweeds are complex multicellular organisms that grow in salt water or a marine environment Microalgae are single celled organisms that can grow in a range of environmental conditions Cultivated or Harvested + Up to 47% protein by weight + Nutritionally similar to plant protein Potential accumulation of heavy metals, high levels of iodine, and contaminants such as dioxins and pesticides Microalgae biomass as an alternative ingredient in cookies: Sensory, physical and chemical properties, antioxidant activity and in vitro digestibility, In Algal Research, Volume 26, 2017, Pages 161-171.
Protein valorisation
Insect Protein Resource efficient Fresh or dried whole insects, flours, extracts + Protein content between 35 61%, richer in protein than beans, lentils and soybeans + Protein digestibility 77 98% similar to eggs, beef and casein + Unsaturated fat, no cholesterol, Iron, Calcium, Zinc & B Vitamins Lysine and Tryptophan deficient (insect dependent) Allergenic crustaceans, dust mites
Current legislation: Novel Foods A novel food is defined as a food that does not have a significant history of consumption within the EU before 15 May 1997 If a food was commercialised in at least one member state before this date it can be marketed elsewhere in the EU without Novel Foods Regulation Application Substantially equivalent EU 2015/2283 Covers the consumption of whole insects and their parts 1 st January 2018 EU Commission will establish a Union List of novel foods authorised to be placed on the market within the Union For inclusion on the Union list a food Must not pose a safety risk to human health Must not mislead the consumer Where the food is intended to replace another food, it does not differ from that food in a way that would be a nutritional disadvantage
US Edible Insect Market Prediction
Lab grown proteins Cultured meat, cell-cultured meat or clean meat Animal product produced following cell isolation and identification, cell culture and tissue engineering + Foodborne illness reduction + Much reduced environmental impact + Control over content and type of fat 10-20 years til market ready (currently expensive) Different eating quality (process dependent) Consumer acceptance GM Link
Where are we? Traditional sources of protein
Sustainable Proteins Research at UoN 3. FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES.. any property of a substance, besides the nutritional ones, that affects its utilisation
Protein sources include: Insects Marine plants Plant incl. underutilised crops Proteins recovered from food waste Protein characterisation includes amino acid content, protein content, Functional properties of the protein are utilised in creation charge, of typical size and structure, interfacial properties such as surface food microstructure e.g. emulsion, foams and gels. activity and interfacial rheology. Stability assessed in complex food matrices during and postprocessing Variety of chemical and physical methods of protein extraction are being explored followed by protein characterisation
Functional Properties: Emulsification and Foaming Air Oil 80 μm Oil in water emulsion Oil drops in water Foam Air bubbles in water
Functional Properties: Thickening & Gelation Native protein Denatured protein Gel Entrapped water Protein aggregation
The challenge
Functional Properties of Insect Protein Foaming ability of mealworm protein Potential application in Egg- Free Cakes Mealworm larvae protein Contained in Chitin exoskeleton: + 49% Protein, + 35% Lipid, + 2 mg/ 100 g Iron, + 16.9 mg / 100 g Calcium, Emulsifying ability of mealworm protein >whey protein Mealworm protein Whey protein Gelation of mealworm protein Gould, J. and Wolf, B. (2017) Interfacial and emulsifying properties of mealworm protein at the oil/water interface. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2017.09.018
Novel materials & processes Protein valourisation from spent grain and spent bread High pressure processing Electrical and ultrasonic fields
Food product applications Reduced sugar cakes addition of plant protein to aid aeration Alternative protein ice cream mix assessed during processing operations No additional protein Potato Protein Pea Protein Fat Free Ice Cream Dairy Free Ice Cream
Considerations. Apart from being GREEN.Why use Sustainable Proteins? Added functionality Added nutritional value Dietary requirements Processing capabilities Taste Texture Cost
Considerations. People will starve to death rather than attempt to eat food that is; Unsafe allergens, anti-nutrients Unpalatable off flavours, disgust factor Unfamiliar Lower nutritional profile
Raw material Structure Function Amino acid sequence Processing Processing