Revisiting Conventional Extraction of Protein Isolates from Faba Beans: Recovering Lost Protein from Sustainable Side-Streams

Demand for alternative sources of protein ingredients due to increasing population growth, environmental sustainability, and consumer demand is on the rise. However, processes used to generate these new food ingredients must be maximized to ensure a circular economy and a sustainable production system. In this study, the structural and functional properties of faba bean protein isolate and recovered fractions were investigated. Three different protein fractions were recovered with varying protein purities (35–89 %) using different pH conditions of protein fractions. Electrophoresis revealed major differences in protein distribution for protein isolate and recovered protein fractions. Additional FTIR analysis confirmed qualitative screening and differentiation of the different protein fractions based on protein amide regions and fingerprint regions. Faba bean protein isolates and the recovered fraction showed different functional properties with poor water-holding capacity for the albumin fraction. The application of discarded albumin fractions in food applications could improve resource efficiency.