Food Science

Plant-based protein extraction study to look at ultrasound, fermentation methods

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Food science researchers with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station are tapping into the power of soundwaves and fermentation to improve the quality of plant-based proteins.

FOOD SCIENCE — Mahfuzur Rahman is a food scientist and grain processing engineer who conducts research through the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. (U of A System photo)

Ultrasound, the same soundwave technology that creates images of babies in the womb, and microbes that break starches down into sugar are behind a new protein extraction method being investigated with the support of a nearly $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Propelling the study is an increased demand in the plant-based dairy and alternative meat markets. Mahfuzur Rahman, an assistant professor in the food science department, said the market was estimated to be worth $29 billion in 2023 and growing by about 8 percent annually. Health and environmental concerns are behind the increase in demand, he noted.

Rahman is the lead research on the two-year study that began in August to develop an eco-friendly method of plant-protein extraction to enhance consumer acceptance by improving product development performance, taste and nutritional value. Plant-based proteins are used to make alternatives to animal proteins found in meats and dairy.

“Traditional protein extraction methods require chemicals such as sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid and often result in lower yields and reduced protein quality,” Rahman said. “The traditional method affects the functionality, taste and nutrition of the extracted proteins.”

Rahman is a food scientist and grain processing engineer who conducts research through the experiment station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. He teaches courses through the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences. He received a Tanner Award for Comprehensive Reviews this year for being one of the most cited authors for scientific papers published by the Institute of Food Technologists.

LAB TEAM —Nazrul Islam, left, Ruslan Galib, Sukanya Poddar, Nikitha Modupalli, Mahfuzur Rahman, Kavith Lakshmipathy and Saydul Safwa are the Novel Ingredient Processing and Utilization Laboratory team in the food science department for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. (U of A System photo)

Rahman said this research will focus on optimizing ultrasound-assisted extraction to release proteins from flour efficiently, followed by adjusting fermentation-assisted removal of off-flavors and anti-nutritional factors.

“The effectiveness of the new method will be compared with traditional extraction methods in terms of protein yield, removal of off-notes, and reduction of anti-nutritional compounds,” Rahman explained.

Collaborators on the study include Scott Lafontaine, assistant professor of flavor chemistry for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, and Girish Ganjyal, professor and extension food processing specialist at Washington State University’s School of Food Science. The grant is part of the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative from USDA-NIFA. The project award number is 2024-67018-42814.

To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.

Food science graduate students win 10 awards in Arkansas food protection contest

By Robby Edwards
Dale Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food and Life Sciences

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Nine University of Arkansas graduate students in food science combined for 10 awards for their presentations at a poster contest sponsored by the Arkansas Association of Food Protection.

FOOD PROTECTION — Gayatri Dhulappanavar, Arshpreet Khattra, Kaushik Luthra, Abass Oduola, Samuel Olaoni, Faith Ouma, Evans Owusu, Erin Ramsay and Surabhi Wason combined for five first-place awards and 10 of the top 15 spots in an Arkansas Association of Food Protection contest. (Courtesy photo)

The competition took place at the 14th Annual AAFP Conference held in September in Fayetteville.

Kaushik Luthra, Abass Oduola, Faith Ouma, Evans Owusu and Surabhi Wason all won first-place honors, while Wason claimed first- and second-place awards.

Luthra won the Post-Doctoral and Technical Staff category with "Impact of Storage Conditions and Moisture Content on Growth of Pathogenic Fungi in Rice."

Oduola won the Pet Food Safety category with "Impacts of Different Infrared Heat Intensities on Growth and Aflatoxin Production of Aspergillus flavus on Corn."

Ouma won the Interventions, Pre- and Post-Harvest division with "Deterrence of Microbes on Rough Rice using High-Power Short-Duration Microwave Heating Technology."

Owusu claimed top honors in the Other and Miscellaneous area with "Microwave-Cooking of Rice in Steam-Venting Packages: An Evaluation of Quality Attributes."

Wason won the Food Safety, Including Fundamental Understanding of Pathogens section with "Effect of Mild Heating and Relative Humidity on the Antimicrobial Efficacy of Chlorine Dioxide Gas."

Wason was also second in the Interventions, Pre- and Post-Harvest area with "Radiofrequency Pasteurization of Dried Basil Leaves Using In-Package Steaming," while Gayatri Dhulappanavar was third with "Persistence of Salmonella Javiana, Listeria spp. in Hydroponic Nutrient Solution at Different Temperatures."

In the Food Safety, Including Fundamental Understanding of Pathogens category, Erin Ramsay was second with "Survival of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli on In-Shell Pecans Contaminated with Soil" and Arshpreet Khattra third with "Use of Monte Carlo Simulation to Calculate Kill Ratio in Milk Powders."

Samuel Olaoni was second in the Other and Miscellaneous category with "X-Ray Imaging as a Technique to Evaluate Seed Germination and Vigor of Rice Seeds."

Luthra, Oduola, Olaoni, Owusu and Ouma are all advised by Griffiths Atungulu, associate professor and agricultural engineer and director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station’s Rice Processing Program.

Khattra and Ramsay are advised by Jennifer Acuff, assistant professor of food microbiology and safety.

Wason is advised by Jeyam Subbiah, professor and head of the food science department, and Dhulappanavar by Kristen Gibson, professor of food safety and microbiology and director of the Center for Food Safety. 

Atungulu, Subbiah, Acuff and Gibson are all faculty members in the food science department and, along with their graduate students, conduct research for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station.

To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.