Research published in Nature Communications by Ben Kew covered by Press incl. Economic Times India

Date: Friday 25 August 2023

The new work of Ben Kew (PhD Student, ERC LubSat Project) titled "Transforming sustainable plant proteins into high performance lubricating microgels" published in Nature Communications https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40414-7 is covered in Economic Times.

Plant proteins, which start off as dry with a rough texture, are placed in water and subjected to heating. This alters the structure of the protein molecules which come together to form an interconnected network or gel which traps water around the plant proteins. The gel is then homogenised, which breaks the protein network into a microgel made up of tiny particles that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Under pressure, as they would be when they are being eaten, the microgels ooze water, creating a lubricity akin to that of single cream. Professor Sarkar said: “What we have done is converted the dry plant protein into a hydrated one, using the plant protein to form a spider-like web that holds the water around the plant protein.” “This gives the much-needed hydration and a juicy feel in the mouth. “Plant-based protein microgels can be created without having to use any added chemicals or agents using a technique that is widely available and currently used in the food industry. The key ingredient is water.”

Revitalising consumer interest

The research team, who have published their findings in the scientific journal Nature Communications, say the dryness of plant proteins has been a “...key bottleneck for consumer acceptability”.

With the breakthrough, the research team hope consumer interest in plant-based proteins will be revitalised, encouraging people to reduce their reliance on animal products for protein intake, a necessary step if global climate change targets are to be met.

More than half of the 18 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents produced each year from food production comes from rearing and processing animal products.

The researchers say the protein microgels “...offer a unique platform to design the next generation of healthy, palatable and sustainable foods”.

Eureka moment

Throughout the investigation, the team had mathematically modelled the behaviour of plant protein microgels and were confident their approach would work.

But the proof came in visualisations produced in the atomic force microscopy suite in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Leeds. Atomic force microscopy involves a tiny probe scanning the surface of a molecule to get a picture of its shape.

What those images revealed amounted to a proof of concept.

Professor Sarkar added: “Seeing the images from the atomic force microscope was such an exciting moment for us. The visualisations revealed that the protein microgels were pretty much spherical and not aggregating or clumping together. We could see individually spaced plant protein microgels.

“Our theoretical studies had said this is what would happen but there is nothing quite like seeing it for real.”

Wider spin-offs of plant protein microgels

The lubricity of the microgels, akin to that of single cream, means they could be adapted for other uses in the food processing industry, such as replacing fat that has been removed from a foodstuff to develop healthier options.

Ben Kew, said: “This is quite a remarkable finding. It is striking that without adding a drop of fat, the microgels resemble the lubricity of a 20% fat emulsion, which we are the first to report.”

“Our experimental data supported by theoretical analyses also mean we could begin to use these plant protein microgels in foods where fat has to be removed to reformulate into healthier next generation plant protein food options.”

Check out the news in Economic Times here: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/science/revolutionizing-plant-based-meat-indian-origin-scientist-led-team-pioneers-palatable-alternatives/articleshow/102743336.cms?from=mdr

Check out the other news covering this research:

University of Leeds: https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/faculty/news/article/5674/making-plant-based-meat-alternatives-more-palatable

Nature Blog: https://sustainabilitycommunity.springernature.com/posts/transforming-sustainable-plant-proteins-into-high-performance-lubricating-microgels

Phys.Org: https://phys.org/news/2023-08-plant-based-meat-alternatives-palatable-protein.html

ScienMag: https://scienmag.com/making-plant-based-meat-alternatives-more-palatable/

The Indian Express: https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/food-wine/revolutionizing-plant-based-meat-indian-origin-scientist-led-team-pioneers-palatable-alternatives-8893528/

Yahoo News: https://consent.yahoo.com/v2/collectConsent?sessionId=3_cc-session_c2a3a979-2266-41f0-ae65-01ef91983f64

Vegconomist: https://vegconomist.com/food-and-beverage/meat-and-fish-alternatives/researchers-microgel-breakthrough-plant-based-meat/

Food Processing.com.au: https://www.foodprocessing.com.au/content/food-design-research/article/transforming-dry-meat-alternatives-with-water-295150251

Food Ingredients First: https://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/news/protein-microgels-researchers-develop-colloidal-technique-to-unlock-juiciness-in-plant-based-without-adding-fat.html

Meteord: https://www.yourweather.co.uk/news/science/scientists-uncover-way-of-making-plant-based-meat-alternatives-tastier-food-diet.html