Dry-fractionated lentil protein concentrate as a sustainable ingredient: Effect on techno-nutritional properties, flavour and consumer acceptability of Focaccia

Dry-fractionation is a sustainable technology for obtaining protein concentrates, mainly from legume flour, with low energy input and no water consumption. The use of protein concentrates in baked goods is still very limited and the evaluation of consumer acceptability has been overlooked. This study aimed to improve the nutritional profile and amino acid score of focaccia flatbread by using dry-fractionated lentil protein concentrate (DFLP) with 57 g/100 g protein content, while studying the effects on flavour, techno-nutritional properties and consumer acceptability. The design of experiment (DoE) was conducted to analyse the behaviour of dough and flatbread and to optimise the formulation, with wheat flour ranging from 60 to 100% and DFLP from 0 to 40%. The optimal formulation corresponded to a 20% substitution of wheat flour with DFLP. It resulted in “high in protein” (>20% of energy value provided by protein) and “high in fibre” (fibre >6 g/100 g) focaccia . The inclusion of DFLP increased the lysine content of the optimal focaccia . The volatile profile of this fortified focaccia showed a higher concentration of hexanal, commonly associated with beany odours, and higher levels of Maillard-related compounds. Lentil fortification induced a red−orange crumb hue and an increased crumb hardness. Consumer testing revealed reduced acceptance of the focaccia containing 20% of DFLP, which nevertheless achieved a sufficient score but with room for improvement.