A critical review focusing the effect of ingredients on the textural properties of plant‐based meat products

Abstract

Plant-based meat alternatives have been studied for decades, but have recently gained more attraction in the food industries and research communities. Concern about animal welfare, health, environment and moral beliefs acts as a driving force for the growth of plant-based meat products. The most challenging task in the development of meat analog is to imitate the texture of conventional meat products. The fabrication of plant-based meat product requires a wise selection and formulation of ingredients to perfectly mimic the fibrous structure of meat. Top-down and bottomup approaches are the two most commonly used structuring techniques for the preparation of plant-based meat products. Development of comminuted meat product is easy as compared with the whole-muscle type plant-based meat products. Several plant-based ingredients such as texturized and non-texturized proteins, fats, binding agents, flavoring and coloring agents accompanied with different processing techniques (extrusion, shear cell, wet spinning, electrospinning, and freeze structuring)are used in the preparation of meat analogs. This article aims to discuss the impact of ingredients on the textural properties of plant-based meat products.

Developments in Plant Proteins Production for Meat and Fish Analogues

“…Various processing conditions can result in diverse structures such as fibrous, layered, or homogeneous ones. Owing to robustness and large-scale production ability, the two most common texturization techniques are extrusion and the shear cell methodology [ 3 ].…”

“…During this process, plant-based proteins are blended with other components until a uniform emulsion is obtained. Then, the ice crystals are removed without melting to develop a porous microstructure with a highly connected sheet-like protein similar to that of the original meat texture [ 3 , 130 ]. The heat removal from a well-mixed protein solution causes the formation of an isotropic structure.…”

“…The technologies used for the production of these goods are constantly evolving, as new innovations are developed and existing methods are improved. These developments have led to the creation of plant-based products that closely mimic the texture, taste, and nutritional profile of meat and fish, making them more appealing to consumers looking for alternatives to animal-based products [ 3 ].…”

Modeling the rheological properties of plant‐based foods: Soft matter physics principles

“…Food manufacturers aim to simulate this kind of microstructure because it influences the desirable textural and mouthfeel attributes of the end product. Fibrous structures are typically created using an appropriate blend of proteins and polysaccharides (Younis et al, 2023) (Figure 1). Some of the most common proteins used to formulate commercial NG-PB meat and seafood products are isolated from soybeans, peas, rice, mung beans, faba beans, and wheat proteins, while some of the most common polysaccharides being starch, methylcellulose, and gums.…”

Structural analysis and texture study of plant‐based (meat) products

“…To reflect this, a review article “Structure analysis and quality evaluation of plant‐based meat analogs” has been included in this special issue (Fu et al, 2023), in which theories and methods for structure analysis and quality evaluation of plant‐based (meat) products have been discussed in detail. Two other reviews in this special issues offer different perspective views about the texture of plant‐based (meat) products: “The texture of plant protein‐based meat analogs by high moisture extrusion: A review” (Zhang et al, 2023); and “A critical review focusing the effect of ingredients on the textural properties of plant‐based meat products” (Younis et al, 2023). These reviews summarize latest literature findings and can provide balanced view and useful guidance in the research of plant‐based (meat) products.…”