(P03-060-23) AI-Driven Discovery of Health Benefits in the EverPro Ingredient Protein Isolate

Objectives: Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is the main ingredient used in the brewing industry. Brewer’s spent grain (BSG), the main byproduct of brewing, contains polyphenols and high-quality protein that can be upcycled to produce nutritionally rich products. EverPro isolate protein is the first and only, upcycled barley-based, protein powder in the market produced by EverGrain as recently characterized by Jaeger et al. (2023). The goal of this study was to identify beneficial health effects that EverPro could have in humans.

Jaeger A, Sahin AW, Nyhan L, Zannini E, Arendt EK. Functional Properties of Brewer's Spent Grain Protein Isolate: The Missing Piece in the Plant Protein Portfolio. Foods. 2023 Feb 13;12(4):798. doi: 10.3390/foods12040798.

Methods: We used LEAP, a scientific discovery platform, that combines computational science, AI, and bioinformatics, to discover molecules with health benefits for humans. To achieve this, LEAP integrates scientific literature, knowledge bases, and proprietary experimental data in a knowledge graph to provide an exhaustive, interconnected glance of nutrition and health. We built queries for 11 polyphenols commonly found in BSG and for more than 8000 peptides detected via LC-MSMS after digestion of EverPro’s proteins with trypsin and chymotrypsin.

Results: We identified 1625 positive health associations for polyphenols, covering 570 health conditions, along with supporting evidence. We also identified more than 20 clusters of peptides with various health effects (antioxidant, antithrombotic, hypotensive, etc.). Moreover, we observed 4 high-confidence potential health benefits for which a convergence between the effects of polyphenols and peptides exists.

Conclusions: We show that several compounds in EverPro are linked to a wide variety of health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, cartilage and muscle development bioactivity, as well as sense reduction of pain and myocyte apoptosis, among others.

Funding Sources: EverGrain International