Plant lipid sources in fermented pea protein gels: Emulsion stability and gel microstructure

Lipids play an important role in cheese texture. Their quantity, type and structural characteristics can have adverse effects on product quality. In this study, sunflower oil, oleosomes, oleogel, and coconut oil, were included in pea protein emulsions that were further fermented into pea protein gels and compared to a dairy fresh cheese. The effect of different lipid sources on emulsions stability and on gel structure was evaluated. The different fat sources did not have any significant effect on emulsion stability. The hardness of the dairy cheese, assessed by texture analysis, was found significantly higher than the pea protein counterparts. However, no significant differences were found between the rheological properties of the pea protein gels containing oil, oleosomes, and oleogel and the dairy cheese of reference. Although the protein network is a dominant factor for gel firmness, this study shows that it is possible to produce fermented pea protein gels containing oil, oleosomes, or oleogel with very similar rheological properties to those of a dairy fresh cheese.