Flavor challenges in extruded plant-based meat alternatives: A review

Demand for plant-based meat alternatives has increased in recent years due to concerns about health, ethics, the environment, and animal welfare. Nevertheless, the market share of plant-based meat alternatives must increase significantly if they are to support sustainable food production and consumption. Flavor is an important limiting factor of the acceptability and marketability of plant-based meat alternatives. Undesirable chemosensory perceptions, such as a beany flavor, bitter taste, and astringency, are often associated with plant proteins and products that use them. This study reviewed 276 articles to answer the following five research questions: (1) What are the volatile and nonvolatile compounds responsible for off-flavors? (2) What are the mechanisms by which these flavor compounds are generated? (3) What is the influence of thermal extrusion cooking (the primary structuring technique to transform plant proteins into fibrous products that resemble meat in texture) on the flavor characteristics of plant proteins? (4) What techniques are used in measuring the flavor properties of plant-based proteins and products? (5) What strategies can be used to reduce off-flavors and improve the sensory appeal of plant-based meat alternatives? This article comprehensively discusses, for the first time, the flavor issues of plant-based meat alternatives and the technologies available to improve flavor and, ultimately, acceptability.Peer reviewe

Phytochemicals

Phytochemicals, consumed as part of the diet, improve human health by lowering its risk and preventing chronic diseases. Fruits, vegetables, chocolate, pulses, and teas, among others, are rich sources of phytochemicals; however, only a certain amount has been isolated and identified. Moreover, the wide diversity of these compounds requires optimized extraction methodologies for further characterization and evaluation of healthy properties. This Special Issue addresses interdisciplinary research related to phytochemicals, highlighting their dietary sources, innovative extraction methodologies, and their effects on human health. Seven papers have been selected for further contribution to phytochemical studies

Veganism

Veganism is a way of eating and living that avoids using animals and their products for food, clothing, and other purposes. Vegans do not consume meat, fish, seafood, eggs, honey, and dairy products, nor do they wear or carry items made of fur, wool, leather, and other materials of animal origin. Many vegans also avoid animal-tested products

The development of extruded meat alternatives using Maillard-reacted beef bone hydrolysate and plant proteins : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Food Technology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Figures are re-used with permission.This research thesis aimed to process beef bone extract into a flavoursome protein ingredient to be added to extruded meat analogues to form meat alternatives and study their impact on the structural, textural, and sensory properties of meat alternatives. The thesis consists of three main parts. In the first part, two methods namely enzymatic hydrolysis and Maillard reaction (MR) treatments were evaluated for their suitability of modifying the flavour character of beef bone extract to become flavoursome protein ingredients. The second part studied the effects of soy protein concentrate (SPC) to wheat gluten (WG) ratio as a way of improving the structural and textural properties of current extruded meat analogues. The third part studied the effects of flavoursome protein ingredient (i.e. Maillard-reacted beef bone hydrolysate) with plant proteins on extruded meat alternatives. It also investigated the effects of moisture contents on extruded meat alternatives and their application in sausages. To begin, an experimental study on the effects of enzymatic hydrolysis treatments (i.e. single, simultaneous and sequential) on the physicochemical properties of beef bone extract using Protamex®, bromelain, and Flavourzyme® was conducted. Next, the changes in the physicochemical properties and volatile compounds of beef bone hydrolysates during heat treatment as a result of the MR were investigated. Beef bone hydrolysates were combined with ribose in aqueous solutions and heated at 113°C to produce Maillard reaction products (MRPs). Results showed that Flavourzyme® was the most effective in increasing the proportion of low Mw peptides, reducing viscosity and enhancing the flavour intensity of beef bone extract. Concurrently, the effects of SPC to WG ratio at a constant mass of SPC and WG on the physicochemical properties of extruded meat analogues were studied. Meat analogues containing 30%WG showed the highest degree of texturisation, fibrous structure, hardness and chewiness using instrumental and sensory analysis. For the third part of this research thesis, the effects of flavoursome protein ingredient (i.e. Flavourzyme®-MRP) at different concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% wet weight) with plant proteins on extruded meat alternatives were investigated. Meat alternatives containing 20%MRP obtained the highest sensory scores for appearance, meaty aroma, meaty taste, and overall acceptability. Results showed that the addition of MRP with soy protein concentrate and wheat gluten to produce meat alternatives changed the textural, structural, and sensory properties significantly. The effects of moisture content (MC) on the physicochemical properties of extruded meat alternatives made from Flavourzyme®-MRP and plant proteins were studied. Samples were extruded at different dry feed rate of 1.8, 2.2, 2.6 and 3.0 kg/h to obtain MC of 60%MC, 56%MC, 52%MC and 49%MC, respectively. Meat alternatives at 49%MC were the closest in terms of both textural and microstructural properties to reference sample, boiled chicken breast. Results showed that the change in MC as a process parameter played an important role in the formation of fibrous structure in extruded meat alternatives. Lastly, the physicochemical properties of sausages made from extruded meat alternatives at different MC were conducted. Five sausages made from meat alternatives (S49%MC, S52%MC, S56%MC and S60%MC) and chicken breast (SCB) as a reference sample were prepared. Results showed that S49%MC had the highest sensory scores among all sausages made from meat alternatives. However, SCB obtained the highest sensory scores for all attributes except for appearance among all sausages at a 95% confidence level. Overall, the present work demonstrated that a flavoursome protein ingredient (i.e. Flavourzyme®-MRP) from low-value meat by-product (i.e. beef bone extract) can be successfully incorporated into extruded meat analogues to form meat alternatives with high aroma and taste quality while maintaining fibrous structure. However, further work needs to be done to improve the textural and sensory properties of sausages made from extruded meat alternatives

Fermentation for Designing Innovative Plant-Based Meat and Dairy Alternatives

Fermentation was traditionally used all over the world, having the preservation of plant and animal foods as a primary role. Owing to the rise of dairy and meat alternatives, fermentation is booming as an effective technology to improve the sensory, nutritional, and functional profiles of the new generation of plant-based products. This article intends to review the market landscape of fermented plant-based products with a focus on dairy and meat alternatives. Fermentation contributes to improving the organoleptic properties and nutritional profile of dairy and meat alternatives. Precision fermentation provides more opportunities for plant-based meat and dairy manufacturers to deliver a meat/dairy-like experience. Seizing the opportunities that the progress of digitalization is offering would boost the production of high-value ingredients such as enzymes, fats, proteins, and vitamins. Innovative technologies such as 3D printing could be an effective post-processing solution following fermentation in order to mimic the structure and texture of conventional products.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Flavor challenges in extruded plant-based meat alternatives: A review

Demand for plant-based meat alternatives has increased in recent years due to concerns about health, ethics, the environment, and animal welfare. Nevertheless, the market share of plant-based meat alternatives must increase significantly if they are to support sustainable food production and consumption. Flavor is an important limiting factor of the acceptability and marketability of plant-based meat alternatives. Undesirable chemosensory perceptions, such as a beany flavor, bitter taste, and astringency, are often associated with plant proteins and products that use them. This study reviewed 276 articles to answer the following five research questions: (1) What are the volatile and nonvolatile compounds responsible for off-flavors? (2) What are the mechanisms by which these flavor compounds are generated? (3) What is the influence of thermal extrusion cooking (the primary structuring technique to transform plant proteins into fibrous products that resemble meat in texture) on the flavor characteristics of plant proteins? (4) What techniques are used in measuring the flavor properties of plant-based proteins and products? (5) What strategies can be used to reduce off-flavors and improve the sensory appeal of plant-based meat alternatives? This article comprehensively discusses, for the first time, the flavor issues of plant-based meat alternatives and the technologies available to improve flavor and, ultimately, acceptability

Soybean and Nutrition

Worldwide, soybean seed proteins represent a major source of amino acids for human and animal nutrition. Soybean seeds are an important and economical source of protein in the diet of many developed and developing countries. Soy is a complete protein and soy-foods are rich in vitamins and minerals. Soybean protein provides all the essential amino acids in the amounts needed for human health. Recent research suggests that soy may also lower risk of prostate, colon and breast cancers as well as osteoporosis and other bone health problems and alleviate hot flashes associated with menopause. This volume is expected to be useful for student, researchers and public who are interested in soybean

New Strategies for Innovative and Enhanced Meat and Meat Products

Meat and meat products are an important part of the human diet. Even though non-essential, they provide high amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals in a concentrated form. However, the consumption of meat and meat products has been associated with an increased risk of health-related problems. Once the harmful components of meat and meat products are elucidated, novel technologies can help in identifying, removing, replacing, and/or minimising their deleterious effects. In addition, meat products can be and are being utilised as carriers of added bioactive compounds due to their processing versatility and high worldwide consumption. New strategies in the field of meat and meat product development are certainly needed in order to overcome not only the health-related problems these products might contribute to, but also from the sustainability and economy perspective. This book compiles ten original studies and two comprehensive reviews that will tackle some of these issues

Understanding the Impact of Non-thermal Processing and CO2 Assisted Extrusion on Antioxidant, Textural and Functional Properties of Corn, Sorghum and Apple Pomace Based Extrudates

Currently, there is a worldwide demand for antioxidant rich foods in diet, especially ready to eat foods, i.e. cereals and snacks. In recent years, the research has got momentum to valorize the underutilized crops, i.e. millet, sorghum and industrial food by-products, i.e. fruit pomace to incorporate into main stream of human diet due to their enrichment in nutritional as well as bioactive compounds like phenolic and flavonoid antioxidants. However, most of the phenolic compounds in plant are present in the bound form with the carbohydrates, lignin, pectin and proteins which reduces their ability to function as good antioxidants. Therefore, in the first part of study, selected non-thermal technologies were compared to liberate the bound phenolic acids in the sorghum flour (SF) and apple pomace (AP) in order to enhance their total content in raw materials prior to secondary processing. Starting with the natural fermentation followed by the batch ultrasonication, SF and AP showed a significant (

Healthier Meat Products Are Fashionable—Consumers Love Fashion

Meat manufacturers are nowadays in a very unenviable position. Both meat and meat products require the utilization of various additives due to their chemical composition. On the other hand, consumers demand fresh, additive-free, and high-quality products with extended shelf-life, which might be considered as healthier, even functional food. These facts push manufacturers and researchers in pursuit of modern technologies and supplements to meet these high demands. Since a high daily intake of sodium and fat might cause severe health issues, reducing these ingredients in meat products is the first task towards healthier food. Sodium can be reduced by ultrasound, high-pressure processing, pulsed electric field, and replacement of NaCl with KCl, calcium gluconate, calcium glycerophosphate, calcium lactate, and monosodium glutamate. The reduction of the fat content can be achieved through a decrease in the amount of fatty tissue in the inital mixture and/or replacement with non-lipid components, or by partial fatty tissue replacement with oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Utilization of plant proteins (soy, wheat gluten, pea, chickpea, lentil, potato, barley, oat, rice, etc.), mycoproteins or micro-algae proteins, plant fats (palm and coconut fat, canola, sunflower, soy and corn oil, etc.), and polysaccharides (starches, fibers), accompanied by a meat-like fibrous structure, resulted in delicious “meat” products, which are considered a healthier alternative to real meat. Growing interest in the replacement of potentially adverse synthetic meat additives favors the use of plant (herb, fruit and vegetable) extracts, as an endless source of bioactive substances with strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. These extracts can be used either in raw meat or meat products, as well as in the fodder. Reformulation strategies strengthen and ensure the willingness of consumers to pay a higher price for their own demands regarding the naturalness of synthetic, clean-labeled, additive-free meat products. After a gradual alignment with strategic national/international recommendations and legal/sub-legal frameworks, the added value of such meat products opens wide the door to new segments/entire markets