Gelation and Rheological Properties of Ultrasound-Extracted Faba Bean Protein: A Comparative Study with Commercial Plant Proteins

Environmental and consumer concerns about dependence on animal-based proteins have sparked interest in sustainable alternatives, with plant-based biopolymers emerging as a promising substitute. The present study comprehensively assessed and compared the rheological and structural properties of commercial plant proteins (pea and soy) and ultrasound-extracted faba bean protein (US-FBP) to provide an extensive overview of their comparative characteristics. At 12 % protein concentration, the exponent n approached zero for soy (n = 0.32) and pea (n = 0.56), whereas it remained higher for faba bean protein (n = 0.69) after fitting a viscosity curve to power law model. The least gelation concentration was observed to be 10 % for US-FBP, soy and pea protein. Additionally, in situ gelation indicated strong gel formation by soy (loss factor = 0.19) compared to US-FBP (0.24) and pea protein (0.37). Secondary structure analysis using FTIR spectroscopy and water/oil absorption capacity measurements revealed significant differences between these proteins. This opens interesting possibilities for using a wide range of plant proteins in the design, formulation, and customization of next-generation plant-based foods.