Extraction, bioevaluation and characterization of soybean and locust bean seeds proteins as plant-based meat substitutes.

The growing global demand for sustainable, nutritious, and environmentally friendly protein sources has driven interest in plant-based alternatives to animal-derived proteins. This study aimed to extract, characterize, and evaluate proteins from Glycine max (G. max) and Parkia biglobosa (P. biglobosa) seeds as potential plant-based meat protein substitutes. Proteins were isolated via alkaline solubilization and isoelectric precipitation and analyzed for yield, proximate composition and amino acid profile. Four experimental groups of albino Wistar rats (n = 25) and a control group (n = 25) were fed on diets supplemented with protein extracts at 25-100% of the basal casein diet over a 14-day period. Blood samples were collected on days 1, 7, and 14 for haematological and biochemical (renal and liver function) analyses. Results showed that G. max and P. biglobosa proteins contained substantial amounts of essential and non-essential amino acids, with high protein yields. Rats fed protein-enriched diets exhibited modest increases in hemoglobin (7.9-14.0%), white blood cells (35.9-51.5%), red blood cells (17.1-22.2%), hematocrit (13.1-22.9%), and platelets (36.5-40.6%) compared to control. These findings indicate that G. max and P. biglobosa seed proteins may serve as sustainable ingredients for next-generation plant-based meat analogues, with further studies needed to fully evaluate their toxicological safety.