Construction of rice protein-based meat analogues by extruding process: Effect of substitution of soy protein with rice protein on dynamic energy, appearance, physicochemical, and textural properties of meat analogues

Abstract

Meat analogues are garnering significant attention as future food and a sustainable diet. This study demonstrates the possibility of using rice protein (RP) to create new meat analogues. Various RP substitution ratios [0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 % (w/w)] for soy protein (SP) were used to prepare the meat analogues based on a low-moisture extrusion cooking. The effect of its ratio on the meat quality characteristics was investigated via specific mechanical energy, expansion ratio, piece density, true density, porosity, water absorption capacity, rehydration kinetics, and texture profile (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness, and resilience). The use of RP decreased some values (specific mechanical energy, porosity, expansion ratio, water absorption capacity, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness, and resilience) while increasing others (piece density, true density, and hardness) depending on its substitution ratio. Three different models (Peleg, Weibull, and exponential) were used to describe the rehydration kinetics of the samples, and the Weibull model was the best-fitted one. Finally, twelve polynomial equations with RP mixing ratios (0-100 %) as variables were developed to predict the quality characteristics of meat analogues. These results suggested that RP can substitute the typical SP as an expansion or texture modifier in the production of SP-based meat analogue products, and a portion of SP (≤75 %, w/w) can be substituted with RP in the production of meat analogue products. Still, the full RP substitution was impossible due to the low porosity of the resulting meat analogue.

Keywords: Extruder; Low-moisture extrusion; Meat substitute; Rehydration kinetics; Textured vegetable protein; Weibull model.