Associate Professor University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Abstract: Dairy-based heavy whipping cream with a high milk fat content is a popular product reserved for desserts and special occasions. However, it tends to have a low amount of protein and is regarded as less nutritious due to the presence of undesirable lipidic constituents. A plant-based, high-protein, high-fat cream emulsion may be a breakout product that can increase the nutritious value of dairy alternatives. Additionally, once a composition of this high-protein heavy cream emulsion is optimized it then can be used as a whipping cream alternative. The objective of the present research was to develop a plant-based cream emulsion with similar properties to heavy dairy cream in terms of emulsion physicochemical properties and the visual appearance of glass coating. To determine the composition that displayed these characteristics, a range of faba bean protein content (2.5-10 wt%) was utilized to develop O/W emulsions with 35 wt% oil (to match dairy whipping cream). Based on emulsion physicochemical properties, an ideal fat-to-protein ratio was established that did not produce droplet aggregation and had a negligible amount of excess unabsorbed protein. This protein-to-fat ratio was then used to create an emulsion with lower fat and a required amount of faba protein, resulting in a similar viscosity and oil droplet size to the heavy dairy cream. This optimum emulsion showed minimal changes in droplet size but a slight increase in viscosity when held at 4°C for a four-week period. In the future, a combination of hydrophilic and lipophilic small molecule emulsifiers can be used to displace proteins from the oil droplet interface to increase the unabsorbed protein in the aqueous phase, which may contribute to the whippability of the plant-based cream emulsion. This study is the beginning of the replacement of the highly complex system of high-fat dairy cream using plant-based ingredients.
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