The food industry is increasingly focusing on vegetarian and vegan products due to rising consumer demand related to the perceived health and environmental benefits of plant-based diets. The global market for plant-based meats is expected to grow by 14% through 2028, according to a report from BCC Research. Increasingly, consumers are seeking to reduce meat intake and explore healthier options, prompted by a rising awareness of the benefits of plant-based proteins. Let’s explore how scientific innovation in food engineering can make plant-based meats more accessible and appealing to consumers.
The Importance of Plant-Based Meats
The rapid shift to plant-based diets is driven by various factors, including health benefits and reduced environmental impact. According to a 2022 report from the Food Institute, over 20% of Americans between the ages of 24 to 39 identify as flexitarians (people who have a primarily vegetarian diet but occasionally eat meat or fish) or vegans (people who do not eat any food derived from animals and who typically do not use other animal products). According to other reports, 31% of Belgians identified as flexitarian, while two-thirds of Brazilian survey respondents reported actively reducing their meat consumption.
To stay current with these trends, food producers should aim to develop meatless alternatives that replicate the taste and texture of traditional meat, making them appealing to a wider audience.
Scientific Innovation in Food Engineering
Transforming non-animal protein sources—like fungi, rice, and soy—into meat alternatives that match the gastronomical experience of traditional meat requires innovation. Two examples of such innovation are extruders and rheometers.
Extruders
Extruders are essential in food production, particularly in creating plant-based meats. Extrusion is a scalable, effective mechanical process that can create meat analogues with fibrous textures, thus enhancing the taste and feel of alternative protein products. The similarity between animal meat and meat alternatives made via extrusion can be visualized using electron microscopy.
One potential drawback for consumer acceptability is that extrusion processing adds to conceptions that alternative protein products are “highly processed” and, therefore, unhealthy. However, studies demonstrate that extrusion cooking enhances protein digestibility, reduces antinutrient content, and can reduce ingredient allergenicity. Like any innovation, further research is needed to better understand the benefits and drawbacks of using extrusion to create meat analogues.
Rheometers
Rheometers play a crucial role in assessing the sensory attributes of food products, particularly the texture and mouthfeel of plant-based meats, which are essential for consumer acceptance. By ensuring consistency and maintaining high-quality standards, rheometers are indispensable in plant-based meat production. For example, during the texture profile analysis (TPA) of meat alternatives, rheometers equipped with sensors can simulate chewing while accurately measuring mouthfeel, thus providing valuable data to enhance plant-based products.
Furthermore, to further advance the accessibility of plant-based alternatives, rheometers can analyze the flow behavior of dairy substitutes such as plant-based milks and yogurts, and evaluate the viscoelastic properties of plant-based cheeses.
Real Technology at Work: Is a Plant-Based Sausage as Good as the Traditional One?
In a study conducting TPA with a rheometer, both a traditional meat sausage and its vegetarian substitute were analyzed. Characteristics such as hardness, gumminess, and chewiness were found to be consistent under different conditions. Both the sausage and vegetarian substitute exhibited similar properties, with the sausage values not being far off from the plant-based product. Essentially, the plant-based sausage was found to be quite similar to the meat sausage in terms of mouthfeel.
Quantifiable data from these tests are crucial for producing consistent and high-quality plant-based meats that can satisfy even the most discerning palates. Ensuring good-tasting plant-based meat makes consumers, including flexitarians, more willing to try more plant-based alternatives to classic meat products, giving them more options and thus a superior dining experience.
Conclusion
Innovative technologies such as extruders and rheometers are revolutionizing the plant-based meat industry. These innovations make plant-based meats more enticing and affordable for consumers by enhancing flavor, lowering costs through a more efficient production process, and maintaining high-quality standards. As the industry continues to innovate, the potential for plant-based meats to become a staple in the modern diet is immense. Food producers are encouraged to innovate in response to changes in their consumers’ diets as they consider the health and sustainability benefits of a plant-based lifestyle. A meal that flexitarians and people on fully plant-based diets can enjoy together is the true spirit of making these foods accessible by way of taste and experience, truly democratizing cuisine with the help of science.
References and Resources
- BCC Research. (2024). Plant-Based Meat: Global Markets. Retrieved from BCC Research.
- Food Institute. (2022). Report on Flexitarian Diet Trends in America.
- Belgian Association for Research and Expertise for Consumer Organizations. (2023). Flexitarian and Vegan Trends in Belgium.
- Good Food Institute. (2022). Survey on Meat Consumption in Brazil.
- Texture profile analysis (TPA) of sausage and a vegetarian substitute on a rotational rheometer. Retrieved from Thermo Fisher Scientific.
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