Functional and food application of plant proteins – a review

The application of plant proteins in new food products is rapidly expanding worldwide driven by consumers demanding healthy, sustainably produced, and non-animal proteins. Major sources of plant protein include cereal grains, tree nuts, oilseeds, legumes, and pulses. Their protein content ranges from 6 to 45%, but many plant proteins typically have suboptimal levels and ratios of essential amino acids. Plant proteins is associated with many health benefits due to the presence of bioactive compounds which are claimed via in vivo and in vitro studies to show several biological activities and properties related to health promotion such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and antioxidant properties. However, some of them are recognised as antinutritional factors and present inhibitory effects on the digestion of proteins. Other adverse effects associated with plant proteins include allergy (induced by the allergenic proteins) and coeliac disease (triggered by the gluten proteins). Beyond their roles in nutrition and health, the value of plant proteins extends to provide functional uses in food applications through processes such as solubilisation, emulsification, foaming, gelation, and dough formation. These functionalities play an integral role in the development of plant proteins-based foods such as meat analogue, beverages, bakery, and pasta products.