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PepsiCo seeks to incorporate pea protein concentrate into low pH beverages.
Background
Humans have cultivated and eaten peas (Pisum sativum) for millennia. Modern consumers are looking to the seed as a promising protein source – it is rich in proteins which can be isolated to make pea protein concentrates (PPC).
While PPC are available in many forms and products, little or no research has been done to understand its behavior in low pH solution or model systems. As a result, food producers have encountered difficulties incorporating PPC into acidic products, such as fruit juices.
The goal of this project is to identify pea protein concentrates that are suitable for usage in low pH systems or to find technologies capable of processing PPC so that they may be used in low pH environments.
Key Success Criteria
Must-Haves:
- Focused exclusively on pea protein concentrates/isolates:
- Yellow or green
- Increased protein solubility (around 50%) at a pH between 3.0 and 4.0
- Low flavor profile and texture impact (astringency/grittiness) on beverage model systems of at least 4% protein content
- Samples for review (powder/liquid form)
Nice-to-Haves:
- Non-dairy, non-allergenic, non-GMO processing aids (enzymes)
- All natural, non-dairy, non-soy ingredients in case processing aides are added (enzymes)
- High PDCAAS
- Clarity in solution
- Suitable for use in a production environment
Possible Approaches
PepsiCo is interested in all approaches that produce a pea protein concentrate for usage in a low pH beverage system.
Approaches not of interest
Main focus is pea protein concentrate, but others will be considered. Additionally, PepsiCo is not seeking unprocessed whole legume or cereal flours.