Impact of ultracentrifugal milling on the thermo-rheological, functional, and physicochemical properties of yellow and green pea flour

Pea seeds conversion into flour enhance their incorporation into diverse food systems. However, milling impacts changes in the flour's physicochemical and technofunctional properties. In this study, the impact of ultracentrifugal milling on the thermal, rheological, functional and physicochemical properties of flour from yellow and green pea varieties was investigated. Pea seeds were milled to maximum particle sizes of 0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 mm based on different screen aperture fitted to the ultracentrifugal mill. Scanning electron microscopy showed that flour samples milled with the 0.25 mm screen aperture had higher disentangled protein particles but more damaged starch particles compared to the 0.50 and 1.00 mm screens. The FTIR analysis indicated similar spectra with varying functional groups at corresponding wavelengths but different absorbance intensity. At 2853 cm−1 wavelength, additional peak for cellulose was detected in 0.25 mm milling condition but absent in other samples. Flour milled to 0.25 and 0.50 mm maximum particle size had the most desirable outcomes to rheological and thermal attributes. Principal component analysis score plots elucidated relationship between milling conditions, flour functionality and pea variety with PC1 at 46.64% and PC2 at 34.53%. These findings demonstrate that milling conditions can be a potential tool to manipulate pea flour functionality.