Techno-functional properties of soy, rice, and carioca bean protein blends

This study investigated the impact of mixtures of soy protein isolate, pea protein concentrate, and carioca bean protein concentrate mixtures on techno-functional properties. Results showed a similar amino acid composition, with carioca bean presenting a higher content of hydrophobic amino acids compared to soy and pea proteins. Water retention index (WRI), solubility in water, emulsion and pasting properties of protein mixtures were successfully predicted by using special cubic and quadratic models derived from the simplex centroid design. A synergistic effect was observed for emulsion properties, suggesting protein mixtures are advantageous in applications involving both oily and aqueous phases. Conversely, an antagonistic effect was noted for WRI and final viscosity, which decreased compared to single proteins, making these mixtures suitable for liquid food applications, such as milk analogues. Overall, the study highlights the potential of protein mixtures to enhance functional properties according to the intended application.