Plant-based proteins are increasingly recognized for their environmental, ethical, and nutritional benefits. However, their digestibility varies due to factors such as molecular structure, amino acid composition, and processing methods. This review comprehensively analyzes methods used to assess plant protein digestibility, including in vivo, in vitro, and ex vivo approaches. While in vivo studies, particularly those using pigs, are considered the gold standard, in vitro and ex vivo models offer cost-effective and reproducible alternatives for simulating digestion. Additionally, antinutritional factors present in plant proteins can hinder digestibility, necessitating processing strategies such as fermentation, enzymatic hydrolysis, and high-pressure treatments to enhance protein bioavailability. Advances in evaluation techniques, including the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) and dynamic digestion models, offer more precise assessments of protein quality. By systematically comparing these methods, this review aims to guide food scientists and manufacturers in selecting appropriate evaluation strategies to improve the nutritional quality of plant-based protein products. Understanding the mechanisms influencing plant protein digestibility is essential for optimizing food formulations and supporting the broader adoption of sustainable protein sources in human diets.

This study focused on applying different high hydrostatic pressure + carbon dioxide (HHP + CO₂) processing conditions on refrigerated (4 °C, 25 days) farmed coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) to inactivate endogenous enzymes (protease, lipase, collagenase), physicochemical properties (texture, color, lipid oxidation), and microbial shelf life. Salmon fillets were subjected to combined HHP (150 MPa/5 min) and CO₂ (50%, 70%, 100%). Protease and lipase inactivation was achieved with combined HHP + CO₂ treatments in which lipase activity remained low as opposed to protease activity during storage. Collagenase activity decreased approximately 90% during storage when applying HHP + CO₂. Combined treatments limited the increase in spoilage indicators, such as total volatile amines and trimethylamine. The 150 MPa + 100% CO₂ treatment was the most effective at maintaining hardness after 10 days of storage. Combined treatments limited HHP-induced color change and reduced the extent of changes caused by storage compared with the untreated sample. Microbial shelf life was extended by the CO₂ content and not by the HHP treatments; this result was related to an increased lag phase and decreased growth rate. It can be concluded that combining HHP and CO₂ could be an effective method of inactivating endogenous enzymes and extend salmon shelf life.

The development of bakeable foods supplemented with probiotics requires novel strategies to preserve the functionality of probiotic cells during thermal and gastrointestinal stress conditions. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the protective effect of multilayer double emulsions (W₁/O/W₂) stabilized with pectin-protein complexes on the viability of Limosilactobacillus reuteri (Lr) under thermal treatment (95 °C, 30 min), storage (4 °C, 28 d), and simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Emulsions were prepared with whey protein isolate (WPI) or sodium caseinate (Cas) as outer aqueous phase emulsifiers, followed by pectin coating and ionic gelation with calcium. All emulsions were stable and exhibited high encapsulation efficiency (>92%) with initial viable counts of 9 log CFU/mL. Double emulsions coated with ionically gelled pectin showed the highest protection against heat stress and gastrointestinal conditions due to the formation of a denser layer with lower permeability, regardless of the type of protein used as an emulsifier. At the end of storage, Lr viability exceeded 7 log CFU/mL in cross-linked pectin-coated microcapsules. These microcapsules maintained >6 log CFU/mL after thermal treatment, while viability remained >6.5 log CFU/mL during digestion and >5.0 log CFU/mL after consecutive heat treatment and simulated digestion. According to these results, the combination of double emulsion, multilayer formation and ionic crosslinking emerges as a promising microencapsulation technique. This approach offers enhanced protection for probiotics against extreme thermal and digestive conditions compared to previous studies that only use double emulsions. These findings support the potential application of this encapsulation method for the formulation of functional bakeable products.

El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de la APH sobre la vida útil microbiológica y parámetros físico-químicos (pH, acidez, actividad antioxidante, contenido de polifenoles, SST y color) de arilos de granada durante su almacenamiento a temperatura de refrigeración. Se aplicaron tratamientos de 350, 450 y 550 MPa durante 30, 60 y 90 s, posteriormente las muestras se almacenaron a 4°C durante 35 días. Las muestras fueron sometidas a recuentos microbianos y análisis físico-químicos. Todos los tratamientos de APH ensayados lograron reducir la carga microbiana inicial (1,0 y 1,6 log UFC/g) a <1,0 log UFC/g. La vida útil se logró extender a más de 35 días, independientemente del tratamiento aplicado. El contenido de polifenoles totales y la actividad antioxidante de las muestras procesadas disminuyeron significativamente (p < 0,05) durante el tiempo de almacenamiento en comparación con la muestra control.