Influence of Thermal Processing Conditions and High-pressure Homogenization On the Emulsifying and Foaming Properties of Chickpea Aquafaba

Abstract Aquafaba is the aqueous fraction generated during the thermal processing of chickpeas. Its composition, which includes proteins and starch, imparts emulsifying and foaming properties, making it a potential ingredient for vegan products. High-pressure homogenization (HPH) is a process that can modify protein structure, improving its techno-functional properties. This work aimed to: (i) evaluate the effect of thermal processing conditions – chickpea-to-water ratio (CWR) (1:3 and 1:5) and processing time (20, 30, and 40 min) – on the composition and the emulsifying and foaming properties of chickpea aquafaba, and (ii) assess the impact of HPH, at different pressure levels (20, 50, and 80 MPa), on these techno-functional properties as well as on protein structure. Protein content in aquafaba varied from 1.47 to 5.96 mg/mL, while starch content ranged from 0.92 to 4.17 mg/mL, depending on the thermal processing conditions. These compositional variations were reflected in the emulsifying properties, with samples richer in protein and starch showing greater emulsion stabilization capacity. High-pressure homogenization was applied in a single homogenization cycle to two aquafaba samples: (i) 1:3 ratio/30 min and (ii) 1:5 ratio/20 min. High pressure homogenization improved both emulsifying and foaming properties, which was attributed to the unfolding of aquafaba proteins, as confirmed by the increase in surface free sulfhydryl groups and hydrophobicity. These findings demonstrate that tailoring thermal extraction and HPH can optimize aquafaba functionality, providing a scalable and sustainable strategy for developing high-performance, clean-label plant-based emulsifiers and foaming agents for the food industry.