Engineered techno-functionality of plant-based proteins for the circular bioeconomy

Abstract Plant-based proteins (PBPs) recovered from agro-industrial wastes are a cornerstone of the circular bioeconomy, yet their industrial deployment is constrained by poor techno-functional properties, low solubility, weak emulsification, and susceptibility to pH and temperature, arising from their compact native structure. While individual and combined modification techniques such as ultrasound-assisted pH shifting and ultrasound-intensified Maillard reactions have advanced, the field still treats protein modification as a stand-alone process disconnected from the circular bioeconomy in which PBPs originate. In this Viewpoint, we argue that the next advance in PBP utilisation will come not from cataloguing further methods but from rationally designing modification strategies that link targeted techno-functional outcomes to end-use applications and to progress along technology readiness levels. We outline the principles of this engineered, application-driven approach, spanning single and combined modifications, food and packaging applications, and scale-up barriers, and identify priority directions to translate laboratory advances into industrially viable PBP ingredients.