Techno-Economic Feasibility of Producing High-Protein Tofu from Chickpeas: Process Design and Nutrient Recovery

This study presents a comprehensive assessment of tofu production from whole chickpeas as a plant-based protein alternative for sustainable food systems and humanitarian use. A novel process comprising soaking, wet milling, starch sedimentation, thermal coagulation, and optional drying yielded tofu with 56.2% protein (dry basis). Byproducts, including starch and okara, were also recovered and characterized. Nutrient recovery analysis, rela- tive to seed nutrient content, showed that tofu...