The Impact of Fractionation Methods on the Digestibility of Yellow Pea Protein

Pea protein is a valuable source of protein that has been widely used in the diets of various people. However, its nutritional and functional qualities are still far less established. In this study, both dry and wet fractionation procedures are considered the isolation and extraction methods used to determine the concentration of pea protein. This research delves into the effects of several factors such as temperature, time, pH, and solubilization state on the characteristics and effectiveness of pea protein isolates. Dry fractionation looks at air classification; wet fractionation looks at alkaline solubilization with isoelectric precipitation. The study shows that, although there are some restrictions on reaching higher purity because of the natural interactions between protein bodies and starch granules, dry fractionation via air classification can produce up to 77% protein recovery and 50–60% pea protein concentrations. On the other hand, wet fractionation methods—specifically, alkaline solubilization with isoelectric precipitation—provide higher yields (60–70%) and levels of protein purity (80–90%), but they also necessitate careful tuning to reduce the effects of severe conditions on denaturation and polymerization. Within vitro gastric digestion tests, the study investigates the digestibility of processed pea proteins in more detail and shows that different processing techniques result in different levels of hydrolysis over time. Regarding digestion, spray-dried protein isolates are better than flour, fine fractions, and freeze-dried isolates. A decrease in digestibility is also observed in all groups when the impact of wet-heating procedures on protein digestibility is assessed.