Modulating texture and digestibility through structural design of wheat-based pasta via pea protein incorporation and 3D-printing

There is a growing interest in developing protein-rich plant-based foods with tailored texture and digestion profiles; however, little is known about how protein incorporation and structural construction affect these characteristics. This PhD thesis investigates the effects of increasing levels of pea protein isolate (PPI) incorporation on the structural and textural properties, alongside in vitro starch and protein digestibility of a vegan pasta food model. Two processing methods were used for structuring the food model, namely (1) conventional pasta making, and (2) 3D printing with variable infill densities to modify the 3D structure of pasta. In conventional pasta, PPI incorporation (0–35% w/w) disrupted the gluten network, transitioning the protein structure to a denser configuration characterized by less organized clumps. At low PPI levels (