Current processing methods of aquafaba

Abstract

Background: Aquafaba is the term used for the liquid separated from the cooking of legumes, particularly chickpeas. This novel material has shown remarkable rheological functionalities; therefore, it has transitioned from being a by-product of the industry to a valued additive explored thoroughly in recent years. However, the research carried out on aquafaba has not yet proposed feasible strategies for its industrialization. Scope and approach: This review assessed the current production of aquafaba to identify the necessary steps to achieve scalability. This work surveyed the totality of the original research articles dealing with this topic published in SCIE and Scopus-indexed journals. The common points were categorized into material, pre and post-treatments, and cooking. Key findings and conclusions: The analysis showed that the sources, composition, and functionality of aquafaba vary greatly. Additionally, although there are strong recommendations, there is no consensus on the legume-to-water ratios and cooking time. After cooking the exploration of the characteristics and functionalities of aquafaba is limited and not well developed yet. Furthermore, its application has been limited to a few food products. Altogether, these findings suggest that, although research on this topic has moved forward in the last few years, there is still much ground to cover to truly make aquafaba a commercial plant-based food additive.