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Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation on the functional properties of pea protein concentrate 
B. CABUK (1), M. Nickerson (1), D. Korber (1), T. Tanaka (1) (1) University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.

Proteins show different functional properties due to nature of the interactions with the other components in the foods. Hydrolysis of proteins during fermentation can be a powerful tool to improve protein functionality through the modification of the protein’s surface properties and also their size. Therefore, overarching aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of both fermentation with <i>Lactobacillus plantarum</i> and medium pH (pH 4 and pH 7) on the functional properties of pea protein concentrate (PPC). Samples were collected at different fermentation times (corresponding to different levels of hydrolysis), freeze dried and analyzed. As fermentation progressed (0-11 hr, 37°C), results showed an increased degree of hydrolysis up to 13%. Moreover, the nitrogen solubility index (NSI) of the PPC was found to be independent of time at pH 4.0 (~3.5%); whereas at pH 7.0, the NSI decreased gradually with time from 13.5 to 10.8% after 11 h of fermentation. Emulsification capacity (EC) at pH 4.0 increased (~43%) between 0 and 5 h, then decreased sharply to ~6%. However, at pH 7.0, EC was relatively independent of fermentation time. Emulsion stability (ES) was independent of time at pH 4.0 (ES ~22%); but at pH 7.0, ES increased from 36% to 56% after 5 h of fermentation, and then declined to 20% after 11 h. Foam capacity (FC) at pH 4.0 was found to increase from 74% to 89% after 5 h, then a decline to 68% after 11 h. In contrast, at pH 7.0, FC was relatively constant with fermentation time (~70%). At pH 4.0, foam stability (FS) decreased from 22% to 11% after 11 h of fermentation, whereas FS remained relatively constant with fermentation time at pH 7.0 (17%). In the case of water holding capacity (WHC) at both pH 4.0, values decreased from 1.0g/g to 0.9g/g after 5 h of fermentation, then increased to 158g/g after 11 h. A similar trend was observed for WHC values at pH 7.0.