Innovation to use plant based Swedish proteins in vegetarian foods

At present, there is no production of protein isolates in Sweden from legumes. Domestic production can therefore only generate ingredients in the form of a raw flour (dried and ground crop) or as a concentrate (air-classified protein flour with a protein content of <60%) but not as an isolate. This fact greatly limits the possibility of using Swedish crops in vegetarian foods.

Producing a protein isolate is a complicated process that requires dissolving the various components, separating them and then drying them into a powder, without destroying the functional properties of the protein in the various steps. Plant proteins are sensitive to heat, mechanical processing, enzymatic processes and pH changes.

The innovation in the proposed project lies in using alternative techniques throughout the various production steps, from crop to finished product, with the specific aim to preserve the functionality of the proteins and tailoring and optimizing the processes for Swedish raw materials, especially peas and oats.