Optimizing Faba Bean Protein-Stabilized Cream Emulsions to Develop a Plant-based Whipped Cream

Whipped cream is a well-known dessert topping, but cannot be consumed if one is lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy proteins. Furthermore, it is common for these alternatives to dairy to include a large number of gums and synthetic emulsifiers to obtain the desired texture. This research aims to create a stable plant-based cream emulsion that can then be whipped into a stable whipped cream. Initially, a range of faba bean protein levels (1.5%-8%) were emulsified with 30% canola oil using a high-pressure homogenizer to determine which composition displayed characteristics similar to dairy cream. An optimized cream emulsion was determined to be composed of 30% oil and 2.45% faba bean protein. The effect of two types of phospholipids on the optimized cream emulsion was then evaluated. One phospholipid contained a higher amount of phosphatidylcholine (PC), whereas the other contained a higher amount of phosphatidylinositol (PI). Although both emulsion variations resulted in stable cream emulsions, the addition of PI resulted in the reduction of interfacial tension and displacement of interfacial protein from oil droplets, characteristics important for effective whipping. Next, the majority of the canola oil was then replaced with coconut oil to evaluate the plant cream’s properties once whipped. The plant-based whipped cream displayed similar stability to dairy whipped cream. It was also able to hold its shape once manipulated: an important whipped cream characteristic. Furthermore, both dairy whipped cream and plant whipped cream reached a peak overrun (volume increase resulting from incorporated air) within the same amount of whipping time, but the plant-based whipped creams had double the overrun of their dairy counterparts. Overall, this research resulted in a stable plant-based cream emulsion that was able to be whipped into a stable whipped cream alternative with attributes that imitate the real thing.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (M.Sc.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Food Science

Grantor

University of Saskatchewan

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Simon, Camrynn R

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ghosh, Supratim

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Nickerson, Michael
• Reaney, Martin
• Zhang, Haixia

• Plant-based, cream emulsion, whipped cream, Faba bean

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10388/17214

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:harvest.usask.ca:10388/17214