Plant Leaf Proteins for Food Applications: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

Plant-based proteins are gaining a lot of attention for their healthbenefits and are considered as an alternative to animal proteins for developingsustainable food systems. Against the backdrop, ensuring a healthy diet supple-mentedwithgoodqualityproteinwillbeamassiveresponsibilityofgovernmentsacross the globe. Increasing the yield of food crops has its limitations, includinglow acceptance of genetically modified crops, land availability for cultivation,and the need for large quantities of agrochemicals. It necessitates the sensibleuse of existing resources and farm output to derive the proteins. On average,the protein content of plant leaves is similar to that of milk, which can be effi-ciently tapped for food applications across the globe. There has been limitedresearch on utilizing plant leaf proteins for food product development over theyears, which has not been fruitful. However, the current global food produc-tion scenario has pushed some leading economies to reconsider the scope ofplant leaf proteins with dedicated efforts. It is evident from installing pilot-scaledemonstration plants for protein extraction from agro-food residues to cater tothe protein demand with product formulation. The present study thoroughlyreviews the opportunities and challenges linked to the production of plant leafproteins, including its nutritional aspects, extraction and purification strate-gies, anti-nutritional factors, functional and sensory properties in food productdevelopment, and finally, its impact on the environment.