Effects of pea protein isolate on 3D printing performance, nutritional and sensory properties of mango pulp

Combining proteins with polysaccharides or polysaccharide-rich fruits to improve print performance had become a hot research topic. This study aims to develop a new 3D-printed food construct based on mango. The rheological properties analysis of pea protein isolate (PPI)-mango mixtures was carried out, and the 3D printing process was simulated by their behavior during the extrusion process (depending on viscosity) and after printing (depending on storage modulus G′, structural recovery, and tacky adhesion). The texture and nutritional characteristics were also determined. The results showed that the addition of PPI improved the rheological properties and texture characteristics of the mango pulp. This made them show a gel-like structure and more suitable for 3D printing. Besides, the mixture with 60/100 g PPI had the best 3D printing structure at 0.84 mm nozzle diameter and 35 mm/s printing speed, matching the target geometry and having a fine resolution, a smoother surface texture, and fewer point defects without compression deformation. Moreover, the mixture with 60/100 g PPI had the highest overall acceptability score in the sensory evaluation experiment, which was significantly higher than other samples (p < 0.05). The results indicated that adding PPI at the optimal concentration enhanced the interaction between protein and polysaccharide, resulting in a more robust and stable gel network. Therefore, the mango and PPI mixture was a promising material for 3D food printing.