Solid dispersion-based spray-drying improves solubility and mitigates beany flavour of pea protein isolate

Recently, there is a strong interest in incorporation of pea protein as a preferred alternative to animal protein into protein-fortified food. However, the utilization of pea protein as a food ingredient has been largely limited because of its poor functionality. The aim of this study was to understand if solid dispersion-based spray-drying processing could be applied to enhance the solubility and mitigate off-flavour in pea protein isolate (PPI). The influence of amorphous matrix carrier type (gum arabic and maltodextrin), and PPI to carrier ratio (90:10–60:40) on physical properties, solubility, and off-flavour profile of PPI was investigated. The results demonstrated the possible mechanism by which factors such as surface area/volume ratio, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic interaction between PPI and carriers enhance PPI solubility. Meanwhile, beany flavours were mitigated through the unfolding of secondary structure of PPI by forming solid dispersions with gum arabic or maltodextrin during spray-drying.