The extraction and concentration of proteins from legumes results in the generation of a large volume of side streams. In the case of dry fractionation, these side streams can account for approximately 70–85% of the total process output. This coarse fraction mainly consists of low-refined starch, accompanied by a minor protein fraction and other native components. Despite representing the main output of the process, this material is generally considered of low value when compared to widely used purified starches, such as those derived from maize or potato.
The investigation of this low-refined, starch-rich coarse fraction as a structuring agent in food systems represents an opportunity to increase both the economic and environmental sustainability of the dry fractionation process by improving the valorisation of its major output stream and reducing reliance on highly refined ingredients.
To date, the structuring behaviour of starch-based systems has been predominantly studied using highly standardized hydrothermal processing protocols, which were originally developed for purified starch materials. When these protocols are applied to legume coarse fractions, they implicitly assume similar behaviour, despite the presence of residual protein and other non-starch components that can influence hydration, thermal transitions, and structure formation. As a result, the functional potential of legume coarse fractions may be constrained by methodological choices rather than by the intrinsic properties of the material.
The aim of this project is to explore how the application of different hydrothermal processing protocols, extending beyond conventional starch methodologies, influences starch and protein functionality and structural organization in legume coarse fractions, and how these processing-induced changes are reflected in the mechanical properties of the resulting gel-like systems.
The project is aligned to UN's SGD:
