Modification approaches of plant-based proteins to improve their techno-functionality and use in food products

TLDR

Plant‑based proteins are attractive for their sustainability, low cost, and health benefits, yet their limited applications stem from poor aqueous solubility, complex matrix interactions, sensitivity to pH, salt, and temperature, and reduced bioavailability due to polysaccharide embedding. This review aims to evaluate and compare plant protein modification methods to enhance flavor, nutrition, and techno‑functional attributes, thereby expanding their feasibility in diverse food products. Modification approaches that alter physicochemical properties can diversify plant protein techno‑functionality and biological activity, but careful method selection is essential to balance functional, nutritional, and sensory outcomes for specific food applications.

Abstract

Plant-based proteins have recently attracted particular interest owing to their sustainable origins, economical costs and health benefits compared to animal-based counterparts. However, most of them have limited applications due to their inferior functionality, which is the consequence of poor-aqueous solubility, complexity and sensitivity to environmental stress conditions such as pH, salt and temperature. Additionally, plant proteins are often embedded in hemicellulose, lignin and other poorly digestible polysaccharides, which further reduce their bioavailability. Therefore, the modulation of plant proteins to improve their technological and industrial applications, and make them more accessible in general, is highly sought after. The modification of plant proteins by altering their physicochemical properties provides the possibility to improve and diversify their techno-functionality and biological activities as well as addressing their limitations. The selection of protein modification method should be done carefully from the final application view especially in food products since it can influence the protein functional, nutritional and organoleptic properties. Therefore, discussing different modification methods with their advantages and disadvantages is particularly timely. This review highlights and discusses the modification methods for plant proteins in order to make their applications in foods more feasible by improving their flavor, nutrition and techno-functional attributes, which will open up new opportunities within different plant-based food products.