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Emerging Protein Sources for Food Production and Human Nutrition

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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 June 2021) | Viewed by 36078

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Przemysław Kowalczewski

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Guest Editor

Department of Food Technology of Plant Origin, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
Interests: bioactive compounds; medicinal plants; antioxidants; edible insects; functional food; plant-based food additives; waste management in food system; plant-based meat analogues; biopolymers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Anubhav Pratap Singh

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Land and Food Systems (LFS), University of British Columbia, Vancouver Campus 213-2205 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
Interests: novel food processing; pulsed light; agitation thermal processing; high pressure processing; microwave-vacuum dehydration; food encapsulation; nanoemulsions; novel drug delivery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. David Kitts

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Guest Editor

Food, Nutrition, and Health Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, The University of British Columbia, 2205 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
Interests: food chemistry; toxicology; gut health; bioactive assessment models
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is estimated that by 2050 the world’s population will be up to 9 billion. Therefore, one of the global problems may be to feed the population with appropriate amounts of food and in particular with adequate protein supply. Global environmental changes generate the need to search for new, unconventional sources of protein for human nutrition. Considering the abovementioned worldwide circumstances, I would like to encourage leading scientists working on the topics of alternative protein sources, as well as studying their properties and safety, to submit original research or review papers. In particular, I invite original research papers and reviews that address any aspect of the use of alternative proteins for food production and human nutrition. Papers on the study of novel protein bioactivity are also welcome.

Dr. Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski
Dr. Anubhav Pratap Singh
Prof. Dr. David Kitts
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

allergenicity
alternative protein sources
bioactive peptides
cytotoxicity
digestibility
genotoxicity
novel proteins
nutritional value
peptidomics
protein enrichment
proteomics
recovery of proteins from wastes and by-products

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 199 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Emerging Protein Sources for Food Production and Human Nutrition

by Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski, Anubhav Pratap-Singh and David D. Kitts

Molecules 2023, 28(6), 2676; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28062676 - 16 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1118

Abstract

It is estimated that by 2050, the world’s population will be up to 9 billion [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Protein Sources for Food Production and Human Nutrition)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

16 pages, 2413 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Functional and Physicochemical Properties of Rice Protein Concentrate Subjected to Acetylation

by Joanna Miedzianka, Katarzyna Walkowiak, Magdalena Zielińska-Dawidziak, Aleksandra Zambrowicz, Szymon Wolny and Agnieszka Kita

Molecules 2023, 28(2), 770; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28020770 - 12 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2207

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to increase the value of rice protein concentrate (RPC) by improving the functional properties of a preparation subjected to acetylation and analyze the impact of this chemical modification on chemical composition, digestibility, and protein patterning using SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and FT-IR spectroscopy. In the modified samples, the protein content increased (80.90–83.10 g/100 g cf. 74.20 g/100 g in the control). Electrophoresis revealed that the content of the main rice protein fractions (prolamin and glutelin) decreased as the concentration of the modifying reagent increased. Through spectroscopic analysis, wavenumbers, corresponding to the presence of proteins or lipids, aromatic systems, and carbohydrates, were observed. The use of acetic anhydride did not change the digestibility of the modified RPC significantly when compared to that of the control sample. The acetylation of the RPC caused a significant increase in its emulsifying properties at pH 8 (1.83–14.74%) and its water-binding capacity but did not have a statistically significant impact on the oil-absorption capacity. There was a slight increase in protein solubility and a decrease in foaming capacity in the modified RPC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Protein Sources for Food Production and Human Nutrition)

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19 pages, 3792 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Whey Proteins as a Potential Co-Surfactant with Aesculus hippocastanum L. as a Stabilizer in Nanoemulsions Derived from Hempseed Oil

by Wojciech Smułek, Przemysław Siejak, Farahnaz Fathordoobady, Łukasz Masewicz, Yigong Guo, Małgorzata Jarzębska, David D. Kitts, Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski, Hanna Maria Baranowska, Jerzy Stangierski, Anna Szwajca, Anubhav Pratap-Singh and Maciej Jarzębski

Molecules 2021, 26(19), 5856; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26195856 - 27 Sep 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2922

Abstract

The use of natural surfactants including plant extracts, plant hydrocolloids and proteins in nanoemulsion systems has received commercial interest due to demonstrated safety of use and potential health benefits of plant products. In this study, a whey protein isolate (WPI) from a byproduct of cheese production was used to stabilize a nanoemulsion formulation that contained hempseed oil and the Aesculus hippocastanum L. extract (AHE). A Box–Behnken experimental design was used to set the formulation criteria and the optimal nanoemulsion conditions, used subsequently in follow-up experiments that measured specifically emulsion droplet size distribution, stability tests and visual quality. Regression analysis showed that the concentration of HSO and the interaction between HSO and the WPI were the most significant factors affecting the emulsion polydispersity index and droplet size (nm) (p < 0.05). Rheological tests, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis and L*a*b* color parameters were also taken to characterize the physicochemical properties of the emulsions. Emulsion systems with a higher concentration of the AHE had a potential metabolic activity up to 84% in a microbiological assay. It can be concluded from our results that the nanoemulsion system described herein is a safe and stable formulation with potential biological activity and health benefits that complement its use in the food industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Protein Sources for Food Production and Human Nutrition)

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18 pages, 2173 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Low-Field NMR Study of Shortcake Biscuits with Cricket Powder, and Their Nutritional and Physical Characteristics

by Krzysztof Smarzyński, Paulina Sarbak, Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski, Maria Barbara Różańska, Iga Rybicka, Katarzyna Polanowska, Monika Fedko, Dominik Kmiecik, Łukasz Masewicz, Marcin Nowicki, Jacek Lewandowicz, Paweł Jeżowski, Miroslava Kačániová, Mariusz Ślachciński, Tomasz Piechota and Hanna Maria Baranowska

Molecules 2021, 26(17), 5417; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26175417 - 6 Sep 2021

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3813

Abstract

The growing human population renders challenges for the future supply of food products with high nutritional value. Here, we enhanced the functional and nutritional value of biscuits, a popular sweet snack, by replacing the wheat flour with 2%, 6%, or 10% (w/w) cricket powder. Consumer acceptance ratings for reference and 2% augmented cookies were comparable, whereas the higher levels of enhancement received inferior consumer scores. This relatively small change in biscuit recipe provided significant and nutritionally desirable enhancements in the biscuits, observed in a series of analyses. An increase in the protein content was observed, including essential amino acids, as well as minerals and fat. This conversion also affected the physical properties of the biscuits, including hardness, and water molecular dynamics measured by ¹H NMR. Cricket powder-augmented biscuits join the line of enhanced, functionally superior food products. This and similar food augmentation provide a viable scenario to meet the human food demands in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Protein Sources for Food Production and Human Nutrition)

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17 pages, 2433 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Acetylation on Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Commercial Pumpkin Protein Concentrate

by Joanna Miedzianka, Aleksandra Zambrowicz, Magdalena Zielińska-Dawidziak, Wioletta Drożdż and Agnieszka Nemś

Molecules 2021, 26(6), 1575; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26061575 - 12 Mar 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2372

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of acetylation with different doses of acetic anhydride on the chemical composition and chosen functional properties of commercial pumpkin protein concentrate (PPC). The total protein content decreased as compared to unmodified samples. Electrophoretic analysis revealed that in the acetylated pumpkin protein, the content of the heaviest protein (35 kDa) decreased in line with increasing concentrations of modifying reagent. Acetylation of PPC caused a significant increase in water-binding and oil-absorption capacity and for emulsifying properties even at the dose of 0.4 mL/g. Additionally, an increase in foaming capacity was demonstrated for preparations obtained with 2.0 mL/g of acetic anhydride, whereas acetylation with 0.4 and 1.0 mL/g caused a decrease in protein solubility as compared to native PPC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Protein Sources for Food Production and Human Nutrition)

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16 pages, 1601 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nutritional Value and Biological Activity of Gluten-Free Bread Enriched with Cricket Powder

by Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski, Małgorzata Gumienna, Iga Rybicka, Barbara Górna, Paulina Sarbak, Krzysztof Dziedzic and Dominik Kmiecik

Molecules 2021, 26(4), 1184; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26041184 - 23 Feb 2021

Cited by 37 | Viewed by 4698

Abstract

Cricket powder, described in the literature as a source of nutrients, can be a valuable ingredient to supplement deficiencies in various food products. Work continues on the implementation of cricket powder in products that are widely consumed. The aim of this study was to obtain gluten-free bread with a superior nutritional profile by means of insect powder addition. Gluten-free breads enriched with 2%, 6%, and 10% of cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder were formulated and extensively characterized. The nutritional value, as well as antioxidant and β-glucuronidase activities, were assessed after simulated in vitro digestion. Addition of cricket powder significantly increased the nutritional value, both in terms of the protein content (exceeding two-, four-, and seven-fold the reference bread (RB), respectively) and above all mineral compounds. The most significant changes were observed for Cu, P, and Zn. A significant increase in the content of polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in the enriched bread was also demonstrated; moreover, both values additionally increased after the digestion process. The total polyphenolic compounds content increased about five-fold from RB to bread with 10% CP (BCP10), and respectively about three-fold after digestion. Similarly, the total antioxidant capacity before digestion increased about four-fold, and after digestion about six-fold. The use of CP also reduced the undesirable activity of β-glucuronidase by 65.9% (RB vs. BCP10) in the small intestine, down to 78.9% in the large intestine. The influence of bread on the intestinal microflora was also evaluated, and no inhibitory effect on the growth of microflora was demonstrated, both beneficial (Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus) and pathogenic (Enterococcus and Escherichia coli). Our results underscore the benefits of using cricket powder to increase the nutritional value and biological activity of gluten-free food products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Protein Sources for Food Production and Human Nutrition)

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11 pages, 653 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Membrane Filtration-Assisted Enzymatic Hydrolysis Affects the Biological Activity of Potato Juice

by Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski, Anna Olejnik, Iga Rybicka, Magdalena Zielińska-Dawidziak, Wojciech Białas and Grażyna Lewandowicz

Molecules 2021, 26(4), 852; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26040852 - 6 Feb 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2475

Abstract

The results of recently published studies indicate that potato juice is characterized by interesting biological activity that can be particularly useful in the case of gastrointestinal symptoms. Moreover, the studies also described the high nutritional value of its proteins. This article is a report on the impact of the enzymatic hydrolysis of proteins combined with membrane filtration. The obtained potato juice protein hydrolysate (PJPH) and its concentrate (cPJPH) were characterized in terms of their nutritional value and biological activity. The amino acid profile and scoring, the content of mineral compounds, and the antioxidant and in vitro cytotoxic activity were assessed. The study proved that the antioxidant activity of PJPH is higher than that of fresh potato juice, and the cytotoxicity against human gastric carcinoma cell line (Hs 746T), human colon cancer cell line (Caco-2), human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (HT-29), and human normal colon mucosa cell line (CCD 841 CoN) showed biological activity specifically targeted against cancer cells. Therefore, it can be concluded that the membrane filtration-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis of potato juice proteins may increase their biological activity and allow for potato juice to be used in the production of medicinal preparations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Protein Sources for Food Production and Human Nutrition)

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14 pages, 1906 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Effects of Hexane on Protein Profile, Solubility and Foaming Properties of Defatted Proteins Extracted from Tenebrio molitor Larvae

by Alexia Gravel, Alice Marciniak, Manon Couture and Alain Doyen

Molecules 2021, 26(2), 351; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26020351 - 12 Jan 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3726

Abstract

Inclusion of edible insects in human diets is increasingly promoted as a sustainable source of proteins with high nutritional value. While consumer acceptability remains the main challenge to their integration into Western food culture, the use of edible insects as meal and protein concentrate could decrease neophobia. The defatting of edible insects, mostly done with hexane, is the first step in producing protein ingredients. However, its impact on protein profiles and techno-functionality is still unclear. Consequently, this study compares the protein profiles of hexane-defatted and non-hexane-defatted yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) meals and protein extracts, and evaluates the impact of hexane on protein solubility and foaming properties. Results showed that profiles for major proteins were similar between hexane-defatted and non-defatted samples, however some specific content differences (e.g., hexamerin 2) were observed and characterized using proteomic tools. Protein solubility was markedly lower for T. molitor meals compared to protein extracts. A large increase in the foaming capacity was observed for defatted fractions, whereas foam stability decreased similarly in all fractions. Consequently, although the hexane-defatting step was largely studied to produce edible insect protein ingredients, it is necessary to precisely understand its impact on their techno-functional properties for the development of food formulations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Protein Sources for Food Production and Human Nutrition)

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13 pages, 983 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nutritional, Physiochemical, and Antioxidative Characteristics of Shortcake Biscuits Enriched with Tenebrio molitor Flour

by Ewelina Zielińska and Urszula Pankiewicz

Molecules 2020, 25(23), 5629; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25235629 - 30 Nov 2020

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 4683

Abstract

Edible insects, due to their high nutritional value, are a good choice for traditional food supplementation. The effects of partial replacement of wheat flour and butter with mealworm flour (Tenebrio molitor) on the quality attributes of shortcake biscuits were studied. The approximate composition was analyzed, along with the physical properties and color. Moreover, the antioxidant properties, starch digestibility, and glycemic index were determined in vitro. The protein and ash contents in biscuits supplemented with mealworm flour increased, while the carbohydrates content decreased. The increasing insect flour substitution decreased the lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) but increased the redness (a*), total color difference (ΔE), and browning index (BI). The spread factor for the sample with the highest proportion of mealworm flour was significantly higher than the other biscuits. Furthermore, higher additions of mealworm flour increased the antioxidant activity of the biscuits and contributed to an increase in the content of slowly digested starch, with a decrease in the content of rapidly digested starch. Therefore, the results of the research are promising and indicate the possibility of using edible insects to enrich food by increasing the nutritional and health-promoting values. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Protein Sources for Food Production and Human Nutrition)

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24 pages, 1017 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Functionality of Cricket and Mealworm Hydrolysates Generated after Pretreatment of Meals with High Hydrostatic Pressures

by Alexandra Dion-Poulin, Myriam Laroche, Alain Doyen and Sylvie L. Turgeon

Molecules 2020, 25(22), 5366; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25225366 - 17 Nov 2020

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3124

Abstract

The low consumer acceptance to entomophagy in Western society remains the strongest barrier of this practice, despite these numerous advantages. More positively, it was demonstrated that the attractiveness of edible insects can be enhanced by the use of insect ingredients. Currently, insect ingredients are mainly used as filler agents due to their poor functional properties. Nevertheless, new research on insect ingredient functionalities is emerging to overcome these issues. Recently, high hydrostatic pressure processing has been used to improve the functional properties of proteins. The study described here evaluates the functional properties of two commercial insect meals (Gryllodes sigillatus and Tenebrio molitor) and their respective hydrolysates generated by Alcalase^®, conventionally and after pressurization pretreatment of the insect meals. Regardless of the insect species and treatments, water binding capacity, foaming and gelation properties did not improve after enzymatic hydrolysis. The low emulsion properties after enzymatic hydrolysis were due to rapid instability of emulsion. The pretreatment of mealworm meal with pressurization probably induced protein denaturation and aggregation phenomena which lowered the degree of hydrolysis. As expected, enzymatic digestion (with and without pressurization) increased the solubility, reaching values close to 100%. The pretreatment of mealworm meal with pressure further improved its solubility compared to control hydrolysate, while pressurization pretreatment decreased the solubility of cricket meal. These results may be related to the impact of pressurization on protein structure and therefore to the generation of different peptide compositions and profiles. The oil binding capacity also improved after enzymatic hydrolysis, but further for pressure-treated mealworm hydrolysate. Despite the moderate effect of pretreatment by high hydrostatic pressures, insect protein hydrolysates demonstrated interesting functional properties which could potentially facilitate their use in the food industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Protein Sources for Food Production and Human Nutrition)

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14 pages, 5616 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High Hydrostatic Pressure-Assisted Enzymatic Hydrolysis Affect Mealworm Allergenic Proteins

by Abir Boukil, Véronique Perreault, Julien Chamberland, Samir Mezdour, Yves Pouliot and Alain Doyen

Molecules 2020, 25(11), 2685; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25112685 - 9 Jun 2020

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3392

Abstract

Edible insects have garnered increased interest as alternative protein sources due to the world’s growing population. However, the allergenicity of specific insect proteins is a major concern for both industry and consumers. This preliminary study investigated the capacity of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) coupled to enzymatic hydrolysis by Alcalase^® or pepsin in order to improve the in vitro digestion of mealworm proteins, specifically allergenic proteins. Pressurization was applied as pretreatment before in vitro digestion or, simultaneously, during hydrolysis. The degree of hydrolysis was compared between the different treatments and a mass spectrometry-based proteomic method was used to determine the efficiency of allergenic protein hydrolysis. Only the Alcalase^® hydrolysis under pressure improved the degree of hydrolysis of mealworm proteins. Moreover, the in vitro digestion of the main allergenic proteins was increased by pressurization conditions that were specifically coupled to pepsin hydrolysis. Consequently, HHP-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis represents an alternative strategy to conventional hydrolysis for generating a large amount of peptide originating from allergenic mealworm proteins, and for lowering their immunoreactivity, for food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Protein Sources for Food Production and Human Nutrition)

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