How do we eat meat–the role of structure, mechanics, oral processing, and sensory perception in designing meat analogs

J Ilic,F Oosterlinck,M Van Den Berg

doi:10.1088/1755-1315/854/1/012036

J Ilic, F Oosterlinck + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/854/1/012036

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Abstract

This study provides an overview of over 50 publications exploring the consumers’ motives for choosing meat analogs over real meat, how they perceive them, and what can be learned from meat structure, mechanics, oral processing, and dynamic sensory analysis for meat analog design. Meat analogs’ sensory perception is their main lack, while ethics, health, and environmental statements might be used to boost their promotion. Methods for meat structure and mechanics’ analysis are well established and translated (to some degree) to meat analog’s quality analysis. However, limited information is present concerning meat and meat analogs’ oral processing and dynamic perception, which can be seen as a chance for future research and improvement.

Highlights

A constant meat consumption rise per capita for the past few decades has been recorded in parallel with the population growth [1,2]
This study provides an overview of over 50 publications exploring the consumers’ motives for choosing meat analogs over real meat, how they perceive them, and what can be learned from meat structure, mechanics, oral processing, and dynamic sensory analysis for meat analog design
Limited information is present concerning meat and meat analogs’ oral processing and dynamic perception, which can be seen as a chance for future research and improvement

Summary

Introduction

A constant meat consumption rise per capita for the past few decades has been recorded in parallel with the population growth [1,2]. Cultivated meat is produced based on the process of muscle cell replication under controlled conditions This (pilot) product has disadvantages primarily because of the exclusively high costs of production, and lack of sensory qualities resembling real meat [5]. Slightly more expensive than real meat products, meat analogs produced using textured plant-based proteins (e.g., soy, pea, wheat, peanut, or their blends) are already present on the market and accepted to some degree, their sensory quality needs improvements. A recent review [33] was on plant-based protein processing technologies for meat analogs production They recognized two classes of methods used for plant protein texturization, i.e., bottom-down strategies focused on resembling meat fibrousness on a macro scale (extrusion, shear cell technology, and freeze texturization), and bottom-up technologies focused on meat microstructure resemblance (spinning technologies, tissue engineering, and fermentation of filamentous fungi).

Method

Conclusion