High moisture extrusion of vegetable proteins for making fibrous meat analogs: A review

Abstract

ABSTRACT Creating new plant-based protein-rich products is one of the major issues to succeed in feeding the fast growing world population. Indeed the best strategy to decrease meat consumption and to encourage diet switch from animal-derived protein to plant-based protein is the technical development in alternative protein sources and especially in the development of plant-based meat analogs. These meat analogs should have the same fibrous texture and taste as real meat. Several processes have been explored in order to texturize plant proteins for making fibrous meat analogs including high moisture extrusion. Extrusion of plant proteins at high moisture content is relatively less investigated compared to low and intermediate moisture extrusion. Literature on high moisture extrusion of plant protein has been reviewed in this article. Extruder characteristics, raw materials and operating parameters to create fibrous texture are summarized. Moreover, an overview of the chemical and textural transformations taking place in the extruder are knowledge of interest to stimulate further research to optimize high moisture extrusion understanding.