The hybrid version of paneer made by the University of Copenhagen researchers. (Credit: University of Copenhagen)
In a nutshell
- Researchers have developed hybrid protein gels combining dairy (casein) and plant (pea protein) to create a more sustainable, cheese-like product with a texture similar to traditional paneer.
- Replacing part of the milk protein with pea protein not only reduces environmental impact but also increases product yield, offering food manufacturers more efficient use of ingredients.
- Hybrid cheeses provide a middle ground for flexitarians—those who want to reduce animal products without eliminating them—by maintaining the familiar taste and texture of traditional cheeses while promoting sustainability.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — What if your favorite cheese could be better for the environment without losing its taste and texture? University of Copenhagen researchers have cracked a culinary code that might reshape our cheese plates. By swapping 25% of dairy proteins with pea protein, they’ve created a hybrid paneer that looks, cooks, and tastes like the real thing.
This research, published in Food Research International, explores a middle ground in the often-polarized debate between animal and plant proteins. For consumers who want to cut back on animal products without eliminating them entirely, often called flexitarians, these hybrid foods could hit a sweet spot of sustainability and familiar texture.
The Science Behind Hybrid Protein Foods
Throughout history, people worldwide have created cheese-like products by adding acid to hot milk. Paneer, common in Indian cooking, is made this way and has a unique advantage: it doesn’t melt when heated. This makes it perfect for grilling, frying, and adding to hot dishes, which is exactly why the researchers chose it as a model for their hybrid protein experiments. This could make the hybrid especially useful for using in meat alternatives.
“It’s really difficult to create a texture that matches regular cheese if you only use plant proteins. Therefore, our strategy is to get the best of both worlds by replacing as much milk protein as possible with plant protein, without compromising on taste and texture,” says study author Lilia Ahrné from the University of Copenhagen, in a statement.
To conduct their experiments, the scientists prepared separate protein mixtures using commercial casein (the main protein in milk) and pea protein at 4% concentration. After heating these mixtures separately at 95°C, they combined them in different ratios: 75:25, 50:50, and 25:75 casein-to-pea protein. They added milk fat (3.5%) and homogenized everything to mimic the composition of whole milk but with varied protein sources.
They then heated these mixtures to 80°C and added citric acid. This caused the proteins to clump together into solid masses, which were then pressed, drained, and formed into firm gels. The team also made 100% casein and 100% pea protein gels for comparison.
Key Findings and Practical Applications
Adding pea protein significantly boosted the yield so they got more finished product from the same amount of starting material. However, the texture changed dramatically. The pure casein gel was firm and springy, much like traditional paneer, while gels with more pea protein became softer and more likely to crumble.
“Our experiments show that at least 25% of the milk proteins can be replaced with pea protein while still producing a cheese with a texture, shape, and taste similar to the original product,” says study author Wenjie Xia from the University of Copenhagen.
When making regular paneer and most other cheeses, part of the process involves pressing the curds. In their experiments, the researchers applied higher pressure than usual to the hybrid cheese because pea proteins retain more water than milk proteins. This increased pressure helped the cheese maintain a solid shape despite its relatively high plant-based content.
Finding the Sweet Spot
The gel containing 75% casein and 25% pea protein was remarkably similar to commercial dairy paneer. It had comparable elasticity and cooking properties, maintaining its structure during baking and frying, which are essential qualities for a paneer substitute.
This particular mix replaces a quarter of the dairy protein with plant protein while keeping most of the desirable texture. For food companies and consumers looking to reduce animal protein consumption without sacrificing functionality, this could be a significant advancement.
Many gel properties changed in a predictable, linear way as pea protein increased. This pattern indicates that food manufacturers could customize textures by adjusting the protein ratios to meet specific needs or preferences.
Not only do hybrid cheeses lower the climate footprint, but they can also have nutritional advantages. Dairy products contain better-quality proteins with essential amino acids and calcium, but plant proteins add dietary fiber into the mix. So, these hybrid cheeses might be a more nutrient-rich option.
These hybrid cheeses provide the perfect compromise for people concerned about sustainability but reluctant to give up their favorite foods. By combining the structural advantages of dairy proteins with the sustainability of plant sources, we can create foods that satisfy both the conscience and the palate.
Paper Summary
Methodology
The scientists prepared protein solutions (4% concentration) of casein (milk protein) and pea protein, preheated them separately (95°C, 30 min), then mixed them in varying ratios (75:25, 50:50, and 25:75 casein-to-pea protein). After adding milk fat (3.5%) and homogenizing, they heated the mixtures to 80°C and acidified them to pH 5.2 with citric acid to form gels. The resulting curds were drained, pressed (at various pressures), and molded into final gel products for comprehensive analysis.
Results
As pea protein replaced casein, product yield increased from 22% to 48%, while total solids decreased from 51.2% to 28.9%. Protein and fat content decreased linearly with increasing pea protein. Texture analysis showed that casein gels were significantly firmer (4014g hardness) than pea protein gels (775g), with hybrid gels showing intermediate values. Casein formed networks strengthened by calcium-based connections, while pea protein networks relied primarily on weaker interactions. Microscopy revealed that casein created dense, continuous networks, while pea protein-rich gels showed more porous structures. The hybrid gel with 75% casein and 25% pea protein demonstrated properties most similar to commercial paneer, with comparable cooking stability.
Limitations
The study used commercial protein isolates rather than fresh proteins, which may affect functionality. No taste tests were conducted, leaving consumer acceptance unknown. Only basic cooking tests were performed without real-world culinary applications. The research didn’t investigate storage stability or nutritional qualities like protein digestibility and amino acid availability, which are important for commercial food applications.
Discussion and Takeaways
The research demonstrates that hybrid protein gels can successfully combine dairy and plant proteins with customizable properties. The 75% casein/25% pea protein formulation offers a practical compromise that maintains desirable texture while reducing animal protein usage. The linear relationship between pea protein content and gel properties enables predictable texture customization for food manufacturers. For high-pea protein formulations, adding calcium, gelling agents, or enzymatic binding techniques might improve texture properties. Overall, this hybrid approach represents a viable middle ground for creating more sustainable protein foods without sacrificing functionality.
Funding and Disclosures
The research was conducted at the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Food Science with collaboration from Arla Foods Amba, a major European dairy company. While specific funding sources weren’t explicitly stated, this industry collaboration suggests possible commercial interest in the research. The authors declared no competing financial interests.
Publication Information
The paper, “Towards hybrid protein foods: Heat- and acid-induced hybrid gels formed from micellar casein and pea protein,” was published in Food Research International (Volume 198, 2024, Article 115326). The authors include Wenjie Xia, Ilianna Drositi, Tomasz Pawel Czaja, Matias Via, and Lilia Ahrnè from the University of Copenhagen and Arla Foods. This was published as an open-access article under the CC BY license in November 2024.
