Valuing the plant proteins as blends of high nutritional quality for spécific population. Proof of concept with a new product designed for preventing metabolic dysfunctions in the elderly – P-Probs

Firstly, we have created a database compiling the amino acid compositions of more than 150 plant based foodstuffs (100%).
Then, to explore the extent to which plant proteins can be combined to meet the essential amino acid requirements of populations, we used a linear optimization program. This program makes it possible to find which blends are optimal with respect to the objectives and constraints set and to identify the optimal weight of each ingredient in these blends. For example, the blend must weigh exactly 30g and contain all the amino acids in sufficient quantity for the amino acid needs of adults, the maintenance of muscle mass and good vascular health of elderly people.
Secondly, once the optimal vegetable protein blend has been validated, we tested it in a long-term study in aging rats to study its effectiveness.
Third, once the efficacy is demonstrated in the rat, a 'prototype' meal containing the plant protein blend will be produced and then tested in the elderly in two short-term clinical trials. The first clinical study will analyze the ability of plant proteins to stimulate the build-up of muscle mass immediately after the meal. The second clinical study will analyze the ability of plant proteins to immediately protect blood vessels from inflammation caused by the ingestion of a meal rich in saturated fats and sugars.

Pending results

A demonstration of the high nutritional potential of plant protein blends is currently lacking for the development of products adapted to the specific needs of targeted consumers.

Scientific productions and patent pending.
To achieve its objectives, the P-Probs project brings together nutritionists and two international agro-industrial groups specialized in the transformation of plant raw materials and food production.

The rising pressure on the global market of dietary proteins, combined with the wish to develop more sustainable food systems, pushes agro-industry to diversify their sources of agricultural raw materials. More and more attention is currently given to plant proteins, since plants can be grown in large amounts and in various conditions of culture, and since for many field plants the protein moiety is a co-product of starch or oil-extraction. One of the main limits of their use in human nutrition is the low nutritive value that has been assigned to them, because their composition in indispensable amino acids is often unbalanced with respect to the body requirements, and because their digestibility is generally slightly lower than that of animal proteins. However, by ‘cracking’ plant products and recombining plant proteins from various origins, it should be possible to define blends that display an adequate amino acid composition, and to build food products, with defined structures, ensuring a good amino acid bioavailability, with an optimal kinetics of absorption. These blends would be particularly interesting in the formulation of innovative, high quality foodstuffs, designed for targeted populations (e.g. elderlies, sportsmen) for whom milk proteins is currently the reference. For growing number of plant sources, processes for extraction and fractionation of proteins have been developed at the laboratory scale, and their transposition at the industrial scale is ongoing. Characterizing strategies of valorization of these proteins isolates is now the critical issue. A clear demonstration of the high potential of plant protein blends is currently lacking and it would open doors to agroindustrial innovations, with the development of new innovative products which could be tailored to the specific requirements of targeted populations.
With P-Probs we intend to contribute to offer this vision by developing a blend of plant proteins of nutritional quality optimized to reduce the development of sarcopenia (muscle atrophy related to age) and cardiometabolic risk (a set of risk factors, including systemic and vascular inflammation) in the elderly. In this context, three amino acids appear to play a major role: leucine, which stimulates muscle protein synthesis; arginine, which affects vascular endothelial function and potentially modulates the perfusion of nutrients to the muscle; cysteine, which helps to fight oxidative stress by glutathione synthesis. Moreover, in elderlies, the kinetics of amino acid absorption, and thus the protein digestion rate, determines the effectiveness of their use in muscle protein anabolism. Thus, the final objective here will be to produce a food product including a blend of plant proteins, balanced in indispensable amino acids, rich in leucine, arginine and cysteine, and with appropriate digestion kinetics. A long-term preclinical study in rodents will test the effectiveness of the proposed protein blend to sustain muscle mass and alleviate the development of the metabolic deregulations associated with aging. In a last step, a food product based on the optimal mix of protein will be produced at the pilot scale, and tested in two clinical trials for its ability to stimulate postprandial protein anabolism, while reducing postprandial low-grade inflammation and vascular endothelial dysfunction, in elderlies.
To achieve its objectives P-Probs will bring together nutrition scientists and two international agro-industrial groups specialized in plant raw material processing, and in food processing.
P-Probs project is built as a proof of concept of the interest of plant proteins for the development of high value-added products, but going up to the development of a new food product, based on plant proteins, it will also have direct applications. As such it will pave the way for further innovation in the area of dietary ingredient formulation, and the design of new foods with defined nutritional benefits.