Protein functionality

Physical properties – facilitates matching

Various protein sources and extraction techniques greatly influence the functionality of the proteins obtained. By characterizing the proteins, various protein raw materials and extraction techniques can be evaluated and matched against suitable manufacturing processes and end products such as extruded meat substitutes, fermented products or emulsified products. When characterizing physical properties, we look at:

• Solubility, which is strongly associated with the viscosity of the protein under different conditions.
• Water-holding ability, which corresponds to the protein's ability to hold water and depends on the number of polar "sites" where water interaction can take place.
• Emulsifying and foaming ability, that is, how well a protein contributes to stabilizing emulsions and foams by spreading in the water-fat / air interface.
• Gel-forming ability and coagulation, the ability of proteins to form gels at various conditions such as pH, salinity, water content and temperature.
• Rheological properties such as viscosity of the protein when it forms melt at higher temperatures and pressures.

Biochemical analysis – knowledge at the molecular level

RISE has expertise, methods and equipment for biochemical analysis of proteins, among other things. It includes the identification, quantification and characterization of a biological mass. At the molecular level, we can analyze almost everything that our customers need.

Microbiology and safety – the importance of risk assessment

Microbiological risk assessment of products and processes, as well as the detection and identification of microorganisms in these, are crucial in order to produce safe food with appropriate shelf-life. RISE works with different types of practical and theoretical methods, such as quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA). It is a powerful tool to proactively estimate the risks and the effect of various risk mitigation measures. With the help of practical experiments, for example challenge tests, we can measure the effect on microbiological shelf-life and safety, for example for different recipes and manufacturing processes. We help you identify and manage the risks so that your company can produce microbiologically safe products with long shelf-life.

Nutrition – shelf-life and allergens

Today there is considerable knowledge about the composition of animal products and nutritional value. The same knowledge is required for the new products which are developed based on alternative sources of protein. Here, RISE has long experience and expertise to help develop nutritionally healthy products.

Add to that the expiration date, how long a protein should be considered healthy to eat. RISE works with shelf-life issues both in terms of protein used to enrich other products and products based on sustainable protein sources.

We have expertise in investigating safety aspects linked to the protein source, both chemical and biochemical safety.

RISE has also developed a new model to study how protein is processed in the body to be used for prediction of nutritional value, potential risk of allergic reactions etc.

Please contact us for more information on how RISE can help your company with structural characterization, biochemical analysis, microbiological risk assessment and nutrition in sustainable protein.