An enzyme-based extraction process for the purification and enrichment of vegetable proteins to be applied in bakery products

In the current study an efficient aqueous extraction procedure using glucoamylase was developed to produce food grade protein extracts from lentils and white beans. The extracts contained 50.3 ± 0.6 and 49.2 ± 0.05 g protein per 100 g dry extract, respectively. The nutritional value of lentil and white bean protein extracts proved to be satisfying according to the amino acid composition, where methionine was the limiting amino acid. The produced extracts were tested for their technological properties. Both lentil and white bean protein extracts showed similar or even better technological properties regarding foaming and emulsifying capacities, heat stability and gelling properties compared to soy and pea protein extracts. Food application tests in white bread, pound cake and sponge cake proved lentil and white bean protein extracts to be potential alternatives to soy protein in replacing proteins from animal origin.