Course

Food Proteins

This course provides an overview of the extraction process, chemistry, composition, and structure-function properties of proteins from different sources. Analytical techniques to investigate protein chemistry and functionality will also be thoroughly discussed.

Organised by Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, cooperation with VLAG Graduate School and the Biobased Chemistry & Technology group of Wageningen University
Date

Mon 27 January 2025 until Fri 31 January 2025

Venue Copenhagen, Denmark
The 2025 edition of this course is organised in Copenhagen, Denmark. Go to this page for course information and registration

Content

This course provides an overview of the extraction process, chemistry, composition, and structure-function properties of proteins from different sources. Analytical techniques to investigate protein chemistry and functionality will also be thoroughly discussed.

Background: Many discussions revolve around the replacement of animal proteins with plant-based or precision fermentation-derived alternative proteins. But why is this necessary, and can we realistically achieve it?

Food proteins are highly complex compounds, requiring extensive multidisciplinary research for a comprehensive understanding of their structural and functional properties. Even after decades of research, our understanding of food proteins, including well-known ones like dairy and meat proteins, remains incomplete. With the emergence of new protein sources such as legume, oil seed, microbial, and insect proteins, our knowledge gaps become even more apparent. Are these proteins soluble? Do they undergo modification during processing? Can they be used in emulsions, gels, or as meat analogs? How do phospholipids and phenolics affect protein functionality?

The literature on this topic can be confusing, pointing out the need for a systematic investigation

Course aim: The course is designed to foster an understanding of the structural and functional properties of proteins in food and the impact of different food processing steps on their functionality. Additionally, we will discuss the analytical techniques employed to reveal such alterations. By the end of the course, participants will have acquired comprehensive knowledge about different types of food proteins and their properties. They will also gain the ability to predict how these proteins behave when incorporated into different food products.

Course topics: The lectures and demonstrations in this course cover the following topics:

• Introduction to food proteins: We will provide an overview and discuss their key characteristics.
• Extraction of proteins from biomasses: We will provide insights into classical and novel methods used for the recovery of proteins (e.g., alkali and enzymatic extraction) from different types of biomasses.
• Understanding protein structure-function relationship: We will focus on discussing the structural features of specific proteins and how they impact specific functionalities in food systems.
• Protein modelling: We will discuss techniques used for the computational simulations of proteins.
• Common chemical reactions of proteins in food: You will learn about typical protein-related reactions in different foods, e.g., protein oxidation, the Maillard reaction, protein-polyphenol interaction.
• Advanced techniques for detecting protein changes: We will explore analytical methods (e.g. chromatography and mass spectrometry) to identify protein modifications.
• The impact of proteins on health and nutrient availability: We will also discuss how proteins affects health and the availability of nutrients, based on the latest literature in the field.

Learning outcome

Knowledge:
• Describe the fundamental structural and functional characteristics of food proteins.
• Recognize the relationship between protein structure and function in various food systems.
• Identify and describe common chemical reactions involving proteins in food during processing.
• Understand working principles of advanced analytical methods for protein characterization.
• Assess the impact of novel proteins and processing methods on human health.

Skills:
• Predict protein structure-function relationship.
• Predict how proteins will behave in simple food systems.

Competences:
• Proficiency in understanding and assessing the structural and functional properties of food proteins, and discussing expected food protein functionalities with key industrial stakeholders in the field.

Lecturers

Guest lecturers:
• Christophe Schmitt, Nestlé
• Alexander Büll, DTU
• Lars Boyens-Thiele, DTU
• Søren B. Nielsen, Arla Foods Ingredients
• NN, Novonesis
• Costas Nikiforidis, Wageningen University
• Julia Keppler, Wageningen University