Use of emerging technologies to improve the solid-state fermentation of lupine seeds by Pleurotus Ostreatus

Over the years, the increasing demand for animal proteins and, more broadly, the rise in meat consumption have stimulated interest in the development of plant-based protein alternatives. In this context, environmental and health-related aspects associated with intensive farming production systems have further contributed to strengthening the focus on more sustainable solutions. The aim of this project is the implementation and optimization of existing techniques for the production of plant-based proteins, specifically the solid-state fermentation of lupin seeds by Pleurotus ostreatus. Three different fermentation processes of lupin seeds were carried out under identical conditions of temperature, time, and humidity, while differing in the pre-treatment applied to the samples. Prior to sterilization and subsequent fermentation, one set of samples was treated with pulsed electric fields (PEF), another with high power ultrasound (HPU) technology, while a third set was not subjected to any pre-treatment. The objective of the project was to evaluate the impact of these different pre-treatments in order to assess their effectiveness and to consider the potential future implementation of these technological steps at an industrial level. All processes were conducted without the initial debittering step, in order to evaluate the influence of this choice on the subsequent aerobic fermentation. The analyses carried out highlighted positive results associated with the application of these emerging technologies. These findings will need to be further investigated in the future, both through comparison with fermentation processes that include debittering and from the perspective of industrial and production-scale applicability.