P-PROBS

 Contact : Didier Rémond (Equipe Improving)

Background

Faced with the increasing world population and the rising standard of living in developing countries, the growing pressure on the global protein market, combined with the desire to develop more sustainable food systems, is pushing the agri-food industry to diversify its sources of protein supply. Increasing attention is being paid to plants, which can be produced in large quantities and under a wide variety of growing conditions. Moreover, for cultivated plants, the protein fraction is often a co-product of oil or starch extraction, which is currently mainly used in animal feed. One of the main limitations to the use of plant proteins in human nutrition is the low nutritional value generally attributed to them, on the one hand due to their composition of essential amino acids, which is often unbalanced compared to human needs, and on the other hand due to their digestibility, which is generally lower than that of animal proteins. However, by “cracking” plant products and recombining plant proteins of different types (globulins / albumin / glutenins) and origins (cereals / legumes / oilseeds), it should be possible to form mixtures with an appropriate amino acid composition to be incorporated into food matrices ensuring good bioavailability of these amino acids. For a growing number of plant resources (oilseeds, protein seeds, cereals ...), protein extraction and fractionation processes, developed at laboratory scale, are currently being transposed industrially. The valorization of these protein extracts in human nutrition has therefore become a key element in capitalizing on these achievements. The high nutritional potential of plant protein mixtures is clearly demonstrated, but this would open the door to agro-industrial innovations, with the development of new products adapted to the specific needs of targeted consumers.

Objective 

The ambition of the P-Probs project will be to develop a blend of plant proteins of optimized nutritional quality to slow the development of sarcopenia (age-related muscle atrophy) 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 nutrient infusion of the muscle; and cysteine, which helps combat oxidative stress through glutathione synthesis. The objective will be to formulate a blend of plant proteins ensuring a good balance of essential amino acids, a high content of leucine, arginine and cysteine, high digestibility and a proven benefit for the health of the target population. A long-term study in a rodent model will test the efficacy of the proposed protein blend in maintaining muscle mass and mitigating the development of metabolic dysregulation associated with aging. In parallel, a “prototype” food based on the protein blend will be produced and tested in two clinical trials for its ability to stimulate postprandial protein anabolism, while reducing low-level postprandial inflammation and vascular endothelial dysfunction in older adults.

Parteners

To achieve its objectives, the P-Probs project brings together nutritionists and two international agro-industrial groups specializing in the processing of plant-based raw materials and food manufacturing.

INRA/UCA-UNH (coordination), INRA/AgroParisTech-PNCA, Tereos Starch & Sweeteners Europe, General Mills-Yoplait