Enhancing Pulse Protein Functionality, Nutritional Value, and Sensory Attributes through Submerged Fungi Cultivation

Abstract: Due to the growing human population, the land gap for producing and providing food is also increasing along with the demand for innovative protein and nutrient-rich food. Pulse proteins, though valued for their sustainability and nutritional benefits, face limited applications due to functional, nutritional, and sensory deficits. This research overcomes these challenges through a novel bioprocess utilizing submerged cultivation with Neurospora crassa (GRAS-certified fungi). Using pea powder as a model system, it focuses on transforming pea proteins into highly functional food ingredients with improved physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory attributes. It enhances functional properties to suit diverse food applications, including liquid and solid matrices, by tailoring protein aggregation and solubility through fermentation. It reduces anti-nutritional compounds like phytic acid and trypsin inhibitors to improve protein digestibility using standardized in vitro digestion models. It decreases volatile off-flavors associated with pulse proteins, such as hexanal and nonanal, to improve sensory profiles, assessed via GC-MS and analytical sensory testing in model food formulations. This multidisciplinary approach employs molecular, physicochemical, and sensory analyses to systematically evaluate fermentation-induced transformations. The outcomes include a blueprint for fungal bioprocessing, a transformed pulse protein ingredient, and a separate mycoprotein product, both with minimal waste. The research has significant implications for the development of plant-based food systems, aligning with USDA priorities for sustainable food innovation. Ultimately, this work broadens the application of pulse proteins, contributing to a sustainable, nutritious, and consumer-accepted food supply. The fermentation process showed a steady increase in pea protein solubility, measured by mean protein percentage. Starting at 34.7% on Day 0, solubility dropped to 32.9% on Day 1, recovered to 33.5% on Day 2, and significantly improved to 39.8% on Day 3, 41.3% on Day 4, and 43.5% on Day 5. These results highlight fungal fermentation's role in enhancing protein solubility for diverse food applications.