Significance of Fermentation in Plant-Based Meat Analogs: A Critical Review of Nutrition, and Safety-Related Aspects

Abstract

Plant-based meat analogs have been shown to cause less harm for both human health and the environment compared to real meat, especially processed meat. However, the intense pressure to enhance the sensory qualities of plant-based meat alternatives has caused their nutritional and safety aspects to be overlooked. This paper reviews our current understanding of the nutrition and safety behind plant-based meat alternatives, proposing fermentation as a potential way of overcoming limitations in these aspects. Plant protein blends, fortification, and preservatives have been the main methods for enhancing the nutritional content and stability of plant-based meat alternatives, but concerns that include safety, nutrient deficiencies, low digestibility, high allergenicity, and high costs have been raised in their use. Fermentation with microorganisms such as Bacillus subtilis, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Neurospora intermedia, and Rhizopus oryzae improves digestibility and reduces allergenicity and antinutritive factors more effectively. At the same time, microbial metabolites can boost the final product’s safety, nutrition, and sensory quality, although some concerns regarding their toxicity remain. Designing a single starter culture or microbial consortium for plant-based meat alternatives can be a novel solution for advancing the health benefits of the final product while still fulfilling the demands of an expanding and sustainable economy.

Alternative protein sources: science powered startups to fuel food innovation

“…Technological advances have enabled the field to address a range of critical issues; however, there are still a number of challenges including scalability and cost that remain. The main challenges around PBMAs include allergy concerns associated with soy and wheat; requiring additional flavouring ingredients to achieve the meaty flavour; ability to incorporate fat into the product and potentially a higher risk than meat products of microbial growth due to high-moisture environments with a neutral pH 59 . In terms of PBDAs, they have some performance issues dealing with stability and removal of off flavours, e.g.…”

The potentials and challenges of using fermentation to improve the sensory quality of plant-based meat analogs

“…Specifically, they are concerned that these approaches negatively impact the sustainability, safety, and nutrition of the final product ( Kyriakopoulou et al, 2019 ; Ismail et al, 2020 ). It is necessary to optimize the quality of raw materials more effectively to reduce the number of additives and processing steps while maximizing the products’ nutritional content ( Elhalis et al, 2023c ). Fermentation technology might be a novel method for making such adjustments sustainably.…”

Grapevine and Horseradish Leaves as Natural, Sustainable Additives for Improvement of the Microbial, Sensory, and Antioxidant Properties of Traditionally Fermented Low-Salt Cucumbers

“…The benefits result from the presence of probiotic lactic acid bacteria that have a positive effect on gut health, as well as the presence of biologically active compounds, including antimicrobials (organic acids, bacteriocins). Additionally, during the fermentation process, the elimination of compounds toxic to human health, such as phytates and tannins, and the formation of beneficial catabolites may occur; as a result, the fermented products are classified as super-foods [18][19][20].…”