Examination of Various Pea Flours for their Use in Food Products with Improved Nutrition and Taste Attributes
Current pulse and pea consumption in Canada and the US is fairly low, at approximately ½ cup per week (Ipsos Ried – Factors Influencing Pulse Consumption in Canada, February 2010). Taste and convenience were listed by survey participants as some of the top reasons for not consuming more pulses. Many North Americans and Europeans perceive peas having an “off flavour”. A large part of this is the fact that peas have not been a common staple in food products and unusual flavours may be perceived as objectionable. This project is an attempt to address the off flavour issue by examining a new pre-process developed by Buhler AG that has shown to improve nutrition and taste attributes of chickpeas, but has been untested in Canadian grown pulses, such as dry peas. The project will also address consumer’s convenience concerns, by incorporating pea flour into common North American food staples such as baked products, snack products, and noodles/pasta.
Development of a pea protein meat analog by high moisture extrusion
The objective of the project is to develop a high quality meat analog with pea protein isolate by high moisture extrusion. We will use a 57 mm twinscrew extruder with an L/D ratio of 24 for protein texturization. A long cooling die will be fabricated and attached to the extruder discharge end to facilitate fibre formation. Preliminary experiments will be performed to optimize ingredient composition and define the limits of processing conditions, on the basis of product appearance, fibre formation, and extrusion stability.
Other proteins and starches will be incorporated in the formulations to enhance fibre formation. The most promising formulation will be used in extrusion experiments to evaluate the effects of feed moisture content and extruder barrel temperature on moisture content, colour, and textural properties of the products. The most successful products from the extrusion experiments will be flavoured at Daiya Foods (industry partner). A whole flavour system will be developed to enhance consumer acceptance of the products. The flavoured products will be subject to in-house sensory evaluation. Appearance, aroma, flavour, and textural aspects of the products will be evaluated. The project is expected to lead to commercial value-added pulse products that benefit Canadian growers and processors by increasing demand for this commodity, and improving their ability to compete in the global marketplace.
Application of Canadian pulse flour in Chinese steamed bread
The objective of this collaborative project is to investigate inclusion of Canadian pulses in steamed bread applications to develop edible fibre and a fortified product with more rational amino acid compositions for the Chinese market. The specific goals are as follows: Investigate effects of pulse flour with different incorporation levels when mixed with wheat flour and maximize food quality in comparison to original products; and to optimize formulations to process at laboratory level as well as pilot level for two new kinds of Chinese steams bread products, northern and southern type.
To identify dry bean germplasm and cultivars with high resistant starch and/or dietary fibre, and to improve nutritional value of dry bean cultivars by pyramiding resistant starch and dietary fibre
The nutritional value of dry bean has not been fully explored and utilized. Dry bean produced in Canada is primarily exported as a raw commodity. Although dry bean has been identified as a health food with low glycemic index (GI) for decades, the information on its resistant starch and dietary fibres is limited. It will be important and necessary to understand the knowledge gaps that prevent the full utilization of this nutritional powerhouse. This Activity will conduct a comprehensive study to evaluate contents and variations of resistant starch and dietary fibre in dry bean germplasm and cultivars, identify novel dry bean lines with high levels of resistant starch and dietary fibres, and further improve nutritional value of dry bean by promoting its utilizations in health foods. This study will be the first to systematically investigate and characterize resistant starch and dietary fibres in dry bean germplasm and cultivars of diverse market classes. The results of the proposed study will enhance commercial value of dry bean produced in Canada and create new processing opportunities for use in health food.
Effect of pulses as a source of fibre and resistant starch on satiety hormone production
The objective of the project is to assess the integrated gut satiety (full feeling) hormone and intestinal microbe response to pulses in the obese gut. The experiments will provide information regarding the effectiveness of pulse fibres in altering gut satiety hormones and gut microbe profiles. This evidence will be invaluable in designing future dietary therapies based on pulses.
Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals
Pulses have strong potential to impact post-prandial glycaemia, satiety/ food intake and endurance based on their composition of complex carbohydrates, protein and low GI. However, there is a need to test the impact of pulse flour and fraction ingredients within food matrices of interest to food manufacturers in order to increase commercialization of pulse food products and substantiate health claims. This three-year project includes a series of acute human studies designed according to Health Canada’s proposed guidance for satiety and postprandial glycaemia claims as well as guidance from the European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) on substantiating claims related to satiety/ weight management, post-prandial glycaemia as well as endurance. The food products to be tested in the human studies represent the same food categories of interest in the food prototype projects for the current AIP application with dose amounts of pulse ingredients relevant from an optimal taste and functionality perspective, as well as the ability to impact the health outcomes being tested.