Abstract Cowpea protein isolate (CPI) was subjected to various dry and wet heat pretreatments followed by sequential digestion with pepsin and pancreatin; the undigested residues were isolated as the indigestible cowpea proteins (ICPs). All the ICPs exhibited in vitro bile acid-binding capacity but ICP from the slow cooling-induced gelation had the highest yield (68%) and was used for rat feeding experiments to determine effect on plasma total cholesterol (TC). Groups consisting of 3 male and 3 female Sprague-Dawley rats each were fed hypercholesterolemic diets that contained casein only or casein that was partially substituted with ICP of CPI for 6 weeks. Results showed diet that contained 5% (w/w) ICP was more effective in preventing TC increase (1.8 mmol/L) when compared to increases of 9.34 and 4.15 mmol/L for CPI and casein only diets, respectively.

            Graphical abstract