The development process of plant-based meat alternatives: Raw material formulations and processing strategies

• Published in: Food research international Vol. 167; p. 112689
• Main Authors: Wang, Yi, Lyu, Bo, Fu, Hongling, Li, Jiaxin, Ji, Lei, Gong, Hao, Zhang, Ruining, Liu, Jingsheng, Yu, Hansong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Canada Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2023
• Subjects: Extrusion technology; Fiber formation; Glycine max; High-moisture processing; Humans; Low-moisture processing; Meat - analysis; Meat Products; Nutritive Value; Plant protein; Plant-based meat analogues; Low-moisture processing; Plant protein; Fiber formation; Extrusion technology; High-moisture processing; Plant-based meat analogues
• ISSN: 0963-9969; 1873-7145
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2023.112689

[Display omitted] •Systematically summarizes the current composition of raw material formulations applied to the production of PBMs.•The interactions between protein molecules and the effects of protein aggregation and phase separation on fiber structure formation are described.•Analysis of the effect of process parameters and extruder characteristics on the formation of anisotropic fibre structures.•The application of extrusion processes in the production of PBMs and the importance of process and equipment optimization for the future development of plant-based meat substitutes are presented. With the rapid growth of the world's population, the demand for meat is gradually increasing. The emergence and development of plant-based meat alternatives (PBMs) offer a good alternative to solve the environmental problems and disease problems caused by the over-consumption of meat products. Soybean is now the primary material for the production of PBMs due to its excellent gelation properties, potential from fibrous structure, balanced nutritional value, and relatively low price. Extrusion is the most widely used process for producing PBMs, and it has a remarkable effect on simulating the fibrous structure of real meat products. However, interactions related to phase transitions in protein molecules or fibrous structures during extrusion remain a challenge. Currently, PBMs do not meet people’s demand for realistic meat in terms of texture, taste, and flavor. Therefore, the objectives of this review are to explore how to improve fiber structure formation in terms of raw material formulation and processing technology. Factors to improve the taste and texture of PBMs are summarized in terms of optimizing process parameters, changing the composition of raw materials, and enriching taste and flavor. It will provide a theoretical basis for the future development of PBMs.