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Review
. 2022 Mar:84:105955.
doi: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2022.105955. Epub 2022 Feb 16.

Ultrasound-assisted processing: Science, technology and challenges for the plant-based protein industry

Josephine Ampofo  1 , Michael Ngadi  2
Affiliations
Review

Ultrasound-assisted processing: Science, technology and challenges for the plant-based protein industry

Josephine Ampofo et al. Ultrason Sonochem. 2022 Mar.

Abstract

The present-day consumer is not only conscious of the relationship between food consumption and positive health, but also keen on environmental sustainability. Thus, the demand for plant-based proteins, which are associated with nutrition and environmental sustainability. However, the plant-based protein industry still demands urgent innovation due to the low yield and long extraction time linked with traditional extraction methods. Although ultrasound is an eco-innovative technique, there exist limited data regarding its impact with plant-based protein. In this paper, the scientific principles of ultrasonication with regards to its application in plant-based protein research were reviewed. After comparing the cavitational and shearing impacts of different ultrasonic parameters, the paper further reviewed its effects on extracted protein characteristics and techno-functional properties. Additionally, current technological challenges and future perspectives of ultrasonication for the plant-based protein industry were also discussed. In summary, this review does not only present the novelty and environmental sustainability of ultrasound as a plant-based protein assisted-extraction method, but also highlights on the correlation between protein source, structure and subsequent functional properties which are important crucial factors for maximum application of ultrasound in the growing plant-based protein market.

Keywords: Cavitation; Eco-innovativeness; Plant-based protein; Techno-functionalities.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematic illustration of ultrasonic generation of cavitation and collapsing of bubbles .
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
(a-b). Schematic diagram of a sonotrode (a) and water bath (b) mechanism of ultrasonication (a- ; b- literature).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Schematic illustration of protein conformational levels.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Surface hydrophobicity of canola protein isolates treated with ultrasound .
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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