Effect of high pressure processing on selected physicochemical and functional properties of yellow lentil protein concentrate

High pressure processing has the potential to impart changes in the structure and functionalities of plant-based proteins. Improvement of plant protein functionality can enable the replacement of synthetic emulsifiers with natural, plant-based ones. In this study, yellow lentil protein concentrate (YLPC) dispersions (10% w/v) were subjected to HPP to understand the effect of pressure (MPa), time (min), and pH of protein dispersion (process pH) on the physicochemical (surface hydrophobicity and zeta potential) and functional properties (solubility, emulsification capacity, fat binding capacity, foaming capacity) in two pH systems. Increasing pressure increased the surface hydrophobicity of processed samples. Process pressure, time, and pH did not significantly affect surface zeta potential. Lower pressures and 10 min treatment times at neutral process pH resulted in the most effective improvements in protein functionality. Protein solubility in the pH 7 system increased from 40 %±3 % for unprocessed control to 50 %±5 % for samples processed at 150 MPa. The emulsion droplet size and stability increased for samples processed at pH 7 when pressure was increased from 350 to 550 MPa in both pH systems. Foamability was not significantly affected by high pressure in both pH systems. Overall, protein functionality can be improved by optimizing HPP process parameters and considering the properties of the food system.