Effects of the tea polyphenol content on the properties and structural characteristics of simulated meat

Abstract

To expand the application of tea-enriching food, tea polyphenols (TP) were added at 0%, 2%, 4%, 6% and 8% to prepare simulated meat, and the apparent properties and structural characteristics of TP-simulated meat were studied. When the TP content was less than 2%, TP bound to the binding site of hydrogen bonding (U) on the protein molecular chain, which reduced the U of simulated meat and resulted in a decrease in the hardness of TP-simulated meat. When the TP content was greater than 2%, the binding of TP and U on the protein chain tended to be saturated, and U was generated on the new TP-protein chain, resulting in an increase in the hardness of TP-simulated meat. Additionally, with increasing TP content, the hydrophobic interaction of simulated meat was enhanced, and the content of random coils in the secondary structure was decreased, resulting in a decrease in the L* of color.