2024 Technical Program
Protein and Co-Products
Laura Hanley (she/her/hers)
MSc Student
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Stacie Dobson, MSc (she/her/hers)
PhD Candidate
University of Guelph
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Alejandro G. Marangoni, PhD (he/him/his)
O.C., F.R.S.C. Professor and Tier I Canada Research Chair
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON, Canada
Soy (SP1), lentil (LP1), and pea protein isolates (PP1, PP2) were assessed for their ability to make plant-based cheeses with similar functional properties as dairy cheeses, including stretch and meltability. Cheeses made with SP1, PP1, and PP2 displayed similar melting behaviors with Schreiber tests, demonstrating spreads of 100-112%, and moderate oil losses of 54-68%, while LP1 spread only 88% with no oil loss. SP1, PP1, and PP2 had low solubility, high water-holding capacity, and low emulsification capacity, whereas LP1 also had low solubility but high emulsification capacity and low water-holding capacity. For rheological analysis, heating ramps were carried out from 20°C to 95°C. The elastic moduli (G’) at 40°C and 90°C were compared to evaluate how different proteins impact the cheese melting process. LP1 had a G’40°C to G’90°C ratio of 10.9, which was significantly lower than the dairy cheddar cheese ratio of 44.4. The SP1, PP1, and PP2 cheeses demonstrated similar melting profiles to dairy cheeses, with ratios ranging from 42.7 to 44.9, indicating a greater breakdown of their solid structure during heating. Thermorheological differences were also seen when comparing tanδ values at 95°C, as SP1, PP1, and PP2 all achieved values over 0.64, indicating superior melt and viscous properties, whereas LP1 only reached 0.49. Although some softening occurs, LP1 maintains more structure during heating, suggesting greater protein-starch interactions. Computed tomography results showed that LP1 possessed a highly different distribution of fat globules with a high density of small droplets, while SP1, PP1, and PP2 cheeses contained bigger globules with larger areas of phase-separated starch. The reduction in melt and oil loss for LP1 may be attributed to its greater emulsification capacity, forming smaller fat globules. In contrast, lower emulsification capacities observed for SP1, PP1, and PP2 led to the formation of structures with lower heat-resistance and enhanced melting.