Pea protein composition, properties and use in foods
What it found
Pea protein contains four main protein types and a well-balanced mix of amino acids.
Its structure and how it is processed change its physical and chemical behaviour in food.
What they found
Types of protein
Pea protein has four main classes: globulin, albumin, prolamin and glutelin. Globulin and albumin are the main storage proteins found in pea seeds.
Amino acid profile
Pea protein offers a well-balanced amino acid profile. It is especially high in lysine.
How processing changes properties
The makeup and structure of pea protein, along with how it is processed, strongly affect its physical and chemical traits. These include how it holds water, how it flows and its surface features.
Replacing other proteins
Because it is available, low cost and nutritious, pea protein can replace soybean or animal proteins in functional foods. The authors say it also brings health benefits.
What the authors conclude
- They describe pea protein as a novel and effective alternative to soybean or animal proteins in functional foods.
- Their summary highlights that its availability, low cost and nutritional value support its wider use.
How it was done
Field pea is a major crop worldwide, and pea protein is a relatively new plant protein used by the global food industry. The authors wanted to outline what it is made of and how it works in food.
The authors summarised existing knowledge about the makeup, physical and chemical traits, and food uses of pea protein. No new experiments on people, animals or cells were carried out for this work.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This work summarises existing information rather than testing pea protein directly in people or animals.
- It cannot show cause and effect between eating pea protein and specific health outcomes in humans.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Canada; Inner Mongolia Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Sciences, P.R. China; Lacombe Research and Development Centre, Canada
The paper
- Title
- Composition, physicochemical properties of pea protein and its application in functional foods
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Lu ZX, He JF, Zhang YC, Bing DJ (2020). Composition, physicochemical properties of pea protein and its application in functional foods. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. doi:10.1080/10408398.2019.1651248PubMed 31429319DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error