Using plasma, the stuff of the universe, University of Alberta researchers have improved the 3D printability of a valuable plant protein for use in food here on Earth.
By experimenting with water activated with cold plasma — a lower-temperature version of the typically superheated matter — the researchers were able to help pea protein hold its shape better after 3D food printing.
The findings from the study — one of the first to explore the improvement in 3D printability by cold plasma technology and the feasibility of applying pea protein as a major component in 3D food printing — strengthen the potential for using the low-cost, highly nutritional product in several food-related ways, says M.S. Roopesh, an associate professor in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences and one of the authors on the paper.
"By improving the gelation and 3D printability, pea protein can be used in several applications, including expanding the selection and boosting the structural properties of plant-based meat and cheese."
