Research Objective
The goal of this project was to develop a commercially viable, fully vegan system made from pea protein to protect probiotic bacteria so they can be successfully added to plant-based foods such as vegan yogurt, cheese alternatives, beverages, and chocolate.
Research was performed primarily at USask within the Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences, including advanced food chemistry and microbiology laboratories, the food product development lab, the fermentation pilot plant, and the College’s Bioprocessing Pilot Plant. The Saskatchewan Food Centre supported the final spray-drying of the powder.
Development of pea protein-based encapsulation systems to protect sensitive probiotic bacteria was carried out at the benchtop in the food chemistry and microbiology laboratories at USask. Scale-up of the probiotic cultures was conducted at the department’s fermentation pilot plant, with spray drying performed at AgBio’s Bioprocessing Plant. A subsequent larger-scale spray-drying run was completed at the Saskatchewan Food Centre. Product testing was conducted at the department’s food product development laboratories.
Currently, there are limited plant-based encapsulation systems that work well for strictly vegan food products. This project addressed this gap by developing a pea protein-based system to protect sensitive probiotic bacteria during food processing and storage, and to release them at targeted locations within a simulated gastrointestinal system.
The project supports Saskatchewan and Canada’s pulse industries through market diversification by creating a new ingredient, an encapsulated plant-based delivery system for probiotics, for the food and plant-based food sectors. Industry adoption of this technology will create increased demand for pea protein, benefiting processors and creating additional demand for peas from farmers. The work also highlights the value and versatility of pea protein, supporting international export marketing opportunities.
| Objective | Final Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Formulate a vegan probiotic entrapment system using pea protein. | Successfully developed a pea protein-based system that protects probiotics during processing and digestion. |
| Scale probiotic production in a pilot plant. | Probiotic cultures were successfully grown and processed at pilot scale using vegan growth media. |
| Optimize spray-drying conditions. | Optimal spray-drying conditions were identified using mathematical predictive modelling, resulting in high-quality powders produced more efficiently. |
| Integrate probiotics into plant-based foods. | Encapsulated probiotics remained highly viable in yogurt, chocolate, and juice during refrigerated storage. |
This project focused on developing a pea-protein-based encapsulation system to protect sensitive probiotic bacteria in plant-based foods. To strengthen the integrity of the capsule wall, several food-grade plant-based polysaccharides were evaluated to enhance the gelling properties of pea protein isolate. Among these materials, gum arabic combined with pea protein isolate provided the best results, achieving probiotic encapsulation efficiencies of up to 95% and delivering effective release of probiotic cells under simulated gastrointestinal conditions.
Advanced mathematical modelling was used to optimize processing conditions and streamline system development. Scaled-up, spray-dried encapsulated probiotic powders were tested in several plant-based food products, including coconut-based yogurt, chocolate, and an orange juice-type beverage.
Across all products, encapsulated probiotics showed significantly improved survival during storage compared to free (unprotected) cells, providing strong proof of concept for this technology. In a parallel study, Saskatoon berry pomace was co-encapsulated with probiotics and the pea protein system. This approach further enhanced probiotic survival and may offer added consumer benefits as Saskatoon berries are rich in health-promoting antioxidants.
Future work will focus on:
- Co-encapsulation of multiple strains of probiotic bacteria with defined health-promoting effects.
- Larger-scale pilot testing of this technology at the Saskatchewan Food Centre.
- A techno-economic assessment of the encapsulation process.
- Challenge studies evaluating the encapsulated ingredients during simulated food processing operations.
- Foster industry partnerships based on this research to advance commercialization.
The project contributes to market diversification for the Saskatchewan and Canadian pulse industry by creating a new, value-added ingredient, an encapsulated plant-based delivery system for probiotics, for the plant-based food sector. Adoption of this technology by industry would increase demand for pea protein and, in turn, for peas grown by Saskatchewan farmers. It also strengthens the international marketing potential of Saskatchewan pea protein by demonstrating its functionality and value in innovative food applications.