313: Development of Faba Bean Protein-Polysaccharide Emulsion Gel Formulations for 3D Printing Applications

Introduction

Plant-based proteins are emerging as a significant market trend, with 3D printing technology offering efficient approaches to food production. Faba bean protein, the third most important legume after soy and pea, presents a promising protein source with 27-34% protein content. This research explores the development of a faba bean protein-polysaccharide emulsion gel as a 3D printing "edible ink." Stabilizing emulsions is crucial during printing, as proteins only do not always provide complete coverage of oil droplets in the interface, limiting their direct use. To overcome this challenge, proteins are often mixed with polysaccharides, and by tuning the composition of oil and polysaccharides will help stabilize the emulsion and maintain structural integrity.

Methods

This study created emulsion gels using faba bean protein isolate, oils (canola and coconut), and polysaccharides (xanthan and guar gums) by high-shear homogenizers. Then, gels formed during cold treatment under storage at chiller temperature. This study investigated the influence of homogenization speed and time on emulsion bubble size and uniformity through microscopic analysis while evaluating different formulations with varying ratios of protein, oil, and gum for printability using syringe printing and a modified 3D printer compressed air pressure system.

Results

Optimal homogenization at 12,000 rpm for 5 minutes produced the finest emulsion particles without rupture. The formulation with 3.2% faba bean protein, 59.5% oil, and 0.5% gum demonstrated the best overall printing performance, producing well-defined, sharp-edged 6-stars shape 3D printed emulsion gels. Incorporating a binary polysaccharide (guar gum and xanthan gum) system and a dual oil (coconut and canola oil) phase in equal ratio enhanced the printability and 1-hour shape retention of 3D printed samples, demonstrating good overall 3D printing performance.

Significance

This research offers unique insights into how strategic combinations of coconut and canola oils, along with a binary polysaccharide system (guar and xanthan gums), can improve printability. This approach sheds light on the importance of optimizing emulsion network stability by tuning the oil and polysaccharide composition when developing edible "inks," thus enhancing the potential of 3D printing mass manufacturing in the food industry.

Authors: Annisa Mutiara Faida, Dr Yong Wang