Pea Protein in Beverages: How to Improve Solubility and Stability

Beverage manufacturers widely use pea protein in protein shakes, meal replacements, plant-based milk and ready-to-drink nutrition products. However, formulators may encounter challenges such as clumping, sedimentation, excessive viscosity and a gritty or powdery mouthfeel.

Mixing alone cannot control these problems. Several factors affect pea protein solubility, including pH, water temperature, hydration time and protein concentration. Other ingredients and the selected protein grade also influence performance.

A beverage may appear uniform immediately after mixing but still develop sediment, excessive thickness or an undesirable texture after heating and storage. Understanding the main causes can help manufacturers select a suitable ingredient and improve finished-product stability.

Several connected factors affect pea protein solubility, including pH, water temperature, hydration time, protein concentration and mixing conditions. Sugar, minerals, fat, fiber and stabilizers may also change protein performance in the beverage.

Pea protein is generally more likely to aggregate near its isoelectric region, while higher protein concentrations can increase viscosity, sedimentation and grittiness. Moderate water temperature and sufficient hydration may support dispersion, but excessive heat can promote protein aggregation. For this reason, formulators should test pea protein in the complete formulation and under the intended processing conditions.

Pea protein sedimentation commonly results from one or more of the following factors:

1. Incomplete hydration

   The protein may appear dispersed immediately after mixing, although some particles have not fully hydrated. These particles may gradually settle during storage.

2. Protein aggregation

   pH, minerals and heat treatment can cause smaller protein particles to combine into larger aggregates that are more likely to form sediment.

3. Unsuitable protein functionality

   Manufacturers design some pea protein grades for water binding, viscosity control or structural applications rather than low-viscosity beverages.

4. Insufficient suspension stability

   Larger or denser particles can settle over time, particularly when the beverage does not have an appropriate stabilization system.

A protein may perform well before heating but aggregate after pasteurization or UHT processing. Formulators should therefore evaluate beverage stability before and after the intended commercial heat treatment.

Several formulation and processing adjustments may help reduce common beverage problems:

• Add the pea protein gradually rather than introducing the full quantity at once.
• Use sufficient mixing energy while limiting excessive air incorporation.
• Allow enough time for complete protein hydration.
• Test the ingredient at the final pH and solids concentration.
• Evaluate the effects of minerals, sugar, fat, fiber and stabilizers.
• Use homogenization where appropriate to improve particle distribution and emulsion stability.
• Check stability after pasteurization, UHT or other heat treatments.
• Select a protein grade designed for the intended beverage type.

Processing adjustments can improve performance. However, the selected protein grade often determines whether the beverage meets its protein, viscosity, mouthfeel and stability targets.

No single pea protein ingredient is suitable for every beverage application. The appropriate choice depends on the target protein concentration, viscosity, clarity, flavor profile and processing conditions.

HydroPea® is ZXCHEM’s branded range of pea protein ingredients for beverage, nutrition and food applications.

The range includes grades for different beverage requirements. These include creamy protein drinks, high-protein formulations and clear-style beverages.

HydroPea® C85B is a conventional pea protein isolate for protein powders, creamy shakes, plant-based milk and other opaque beverage systems.

This grade offers a practical balance of protein content and functionality. It is suitable for formulations that do not require very low viscosity or high beverage clarity.

Formulators should test HydroPea® C85B in the complete beverage system. Testing is especially important when the formulation contains minerals or fat, or undergoes commercial heat treatment.

When conventional isolates create excessive viscosity, sedimentation or graininess, a hydrolyzed pea protein may be more appropriate.

Hydrolysis breaks larger protein molecules into smaller fractions. The degree of hydrolysis and the manufacturing process affect ingredient performance. Hydrolysis may improve dispersion, reduce viscosity and support a smoother mouthfeel.

HydroPea® H80 suits protein beverages, meal-replacement drinks and powdered nutrition products. Formulators may evaluate it in high-protein ready-to-drink beverages that require lower viscosity and improved dispersion.

Formulators should test the final beverage for flavor, thermal stability and shelf-life performance.

Pea protein performance should be evaluated in the complete formulation rather than only in water.

A meaningful beverage trial should record:

• Protein concentration
• Final pH
• Water temperature
• Mixing speed and time
• Hydration time
• Sugar and mineral content
• Homogenization conditions
• Heat-treatment conditions
• Viscosity and sediment during storage

Test C85B, H80 and S90 under the same processing conditions to identify the most suitable grade for the beverage.

Improving pea protein solubility requires more than increasing mixing time. pH, hydration, protein concentration, heat treatment and ingredient interactions all influence sedimentation, viscosity and mouthfeel.

Conventional pea protein isolate works well in creamy and powdered beverages. Hydrolyzed pea protein may be more suitable for high-protein, low-viscosity or clear-style beverage systems.

Developing a pea-protein beverage? Request C85B, H80 or S90 samples for side-by-side testing under your own formulation and processing conditions.