Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are working to develop a new type of tempeh made by fermenting chickpeas and dry peas instead of soybeans.
The research is funded by a four-year, $387,000 grant from the USDA’s Pulse Crop Health Initiative. It is led by food scientist Hang Xiao, with support from sensory scientist Alissa Nolden and associate professor of food science John Gibbons.
After developing the tempeh, the researchers will conduct a chemical analysis to determine which compounds are produced during fermentation, including amino acids and flavonoids. The tempeh is expected to be nutritious, high in fiber, and low in fat. Preliminary research suggests that consuming it could offset health conditions associated with Western diets, such as obesity, fatty liver, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes.
“Tempeh is a fermented, fungal food that originated from Indonesia but is now gaining popularity all around the world because it’s a good approach to producing plant-based protein food,” says Xiao. “Tempeh fermentation is mainly done empirically without a scientific understanding of the molecular basis by which fungal fermentation impacts product functionality, such as nutritional and sensory properties and health impact. This limits our ability to develop tempeh-based meat alternatives with optimal functionalities.”
“Desirable health functions”
Following the analysis, a panel of consumers will rate the sensory profile of the tempeh, namely its taste, smell, and texture. The scientists will then study the health impacts of the tempeh in obese rodents to see if it can counteract the influence of a diet high in fat and sugar. Preliminary research has been promising, finding that consumption of the tempeh inhibits effects such as body weight gain, fatty liver formation, and negative changes in gut microbiome.
The product could provide an alternative to traditional tempeh for people who cannot consume soy due to allergies or prefer to avoid it for other reasons.
“These findings are important because they suggested that tempeh fermentation enhanced the health benefits of chickpeas and provided a strong rationale to develop pulse-based tempeh with desirable health functions,” said the researchers in a grant summary.
