Pea protein gel system suitable for 3D printing, and methods for preparing plant-based meat protein.

Abstract

This invention discloses a pea protein gel system suitable for 3D printing, its preparation method, and its application, belonging to the field of food processing technology. Through single-factor and orthogonal experiments, the optimal formula for the gel system was determined as follows: based on 100 parts by weight of pea protein paste, 30 parts by weight of pea protein powder, 40 parts by weight of potato starch, 12 parts by weight of gelatin, 85 parts by weight of water, and 1.0 part by weight of TG enzyme were added. Under these formula conditions, the pea-based protein gel system produced exhibited smooth extrusion without breaks during printing, demonstrating good fluidity; the accuracy and stability of the printed model were 98.01% and 97.86%, respectively; the appearance was smooth with no excess material; there was no significant deformation after cooking; and the hardness and elasticity were closer to commercially available meat. This application also determined the optimal printing parameters: nozzle diameter 1.20 mm, printing height 1.60 mm, printing temperature 35℃, and printing speed, moving speed, and extrusion speed all 30 mm / s. The optimized printed model had a regular surface, clear contours, high printing accuracy and stability, and high printing efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of food processing technology, specifically relating to a pea protein gel system suitable for 3D printing, its preparation method, and its application. Background Technology

[0002] Protein is one of the essential nutrients for the human body, serving as a crucial raw material for the construction and metabolism of human tissues and cells. In daily life, we obtain protein from two main sources: animal protein and plant protein. Animal protein includes high-quality proteins such as meat, eggs, and dairy products. However, studies have shown that excessive intake of animal protein may increase the risk of health problems such as cardiovascular abnormalities. In recent years, plant protein has received considerable attention, partly due to the rapid population growth making reliance solely on animal protein insufficient, and partly due to its nutritional health benefits and low price. Currently, research on plant protein products is dominated by soy protein isolate in the food 3D printing market and R&D, while other protein products are less prominent. Pea protein, a type of plant protein, has advantages over soy protein, which holds a larger market share, including a balanced amino acid profile, zero cholesterol, no allergens, and non-GMO properties, making it highly sought after in the market. Pea protein is mainly used in protein powders and meal replacement products, and it is also gaining popularity in the plant-based protein field, including plant-based beverages and foods. Furthermore, due to the increasing emphasis placed on the use of pea protein by more and more companies, global consumption and production of pea protein have experienced explosive growth. my country is the world's largest producer of pea protein, accounting for approximately 70% of global production capacity. Food 3D printing offers an option for developing plant-based protein products. By placing processed plant protein raw materials into the printing cylinder, personalized plant-based protein products can be produced. Currently, the application of pea protein in food 3D printing is mainly as an auxiliary ingredient to improve the printing or nutritional properties of the system. For example, Wang Shi (2020) found that adding pea protein to minced chicken effectively improved the printing performance of the minced chicken. However, research on 3D printing using pea protein as the main raw material is rare. Therefore, using pea protein as a printing raw material to prepare plant-based meat not only enriches the 3D printed plant-based meat products but also broadens the high-value utilization of pea protein.

[0003] The development of food 3D printing technology faces both opportunities and challenges. Current limitations, including printing efficiency, cost, and food safety concerns, hinder its further development. Furthermore, the characteristics of the raw materials used in food processing pose a significant problem. Therefore, more in-depth research and innovation from researchers and related groups are needed to unlock its full potential. Hot melt extrusion technology, with its advantages of low cost, wide applicability, and ease of operation, has become the most widely researched food 3D printing technology. However, it also has drawbacks such as interlayer seams, long production times, and delamination caused by temperature fluctuations, which warrant further investigation.

[0004] For the reasons stated above, this application is hereby submitted. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problems or deficiencies of the existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide a pea protein gel system suitable for 3D printing, its preparation method, and its applications, solving or at least partially solving the aforementioned technical problems in the prior art. The present invention selects pea protein, which has advantages such as balanced amino acid content, as the printing raw material. It improves the printability and nutritional properties of the pea protein gel system by adding excipients such as potato starch and TG enzyme, while optimizing 3D printing parameters to improve printing accuracy and efficiency. Under optimal raw material and excipient ratios and printing parameters, the printed pea-based protein undergoes different post-processing methods to examine its applicability. Finally, the pea protein processed by different methods is structurally characterized to broaden its application in the field of food 3D printing.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives of the present invention, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0007] A pea protein gel system suitable for 3D printing comprises the following raw material components: pea textured protein paste, pea protein powder, potato starch, gelatin, distilled water, and TG enzyme.

[0008] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned technical solution, the raw material components also include red yeast rice and beetroot pigment.

[0009] Furthermore, based on the quality of the pea protein puree, the content of each component in the above technical solution is as follows:

[0010] 100 servings of pea textured protein puree

[0011] Pea protein powder 0-40 servings

[0012] 10-50 parts by weight of potato starch

[0013] 0-16 parts by weight of gelatin

[0014] 60-100 parts by weight of distilled water

[0015] TG enzyme 0-2.4 parts by weight.

[0016] Preferably, in the above technical solution, based on the quality of pea protein puree, the content of each component raw material is as follows:

[0017] 100 servings of pea textured protein puree

[0018] 30 servings of pea protein powder

[0019] 40 parts by weight of potato starch

[0020] 12 parts by weight of gelatin

[0021] 85 parts by weight of distilled water

[0022] 1 part by weight of TG enzyme.

[0023] Preferably, in the above technical solution, the content of red yeast rice pigment is 0.01 parts by mass; and the content of beetroot pigment is 0.04 parts by mass.

[0024] A second objective of this invention is to provide a method for preparing the pea protein gel system suitable for 3D printing as described above, comprising the following steps:

[0025] Mix distilled water and gelatin according to the formula, and heat and stir until the gelatin is completely melted; then mix the pea protein paste, pea protein powder, potato starch and TG enzyme according to the formula, add the resulting mixture to the melted gelatin, and mix well to obtain the pea protein gel system.

[0026] Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the heating temperature is 40-60℃, and in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heating temperature is 50℃.

[0027] A third objective of this invention is to provide the application of the aforementioned pea protein gel system in the 3D printing preparation of plant-based meat protein.

[0028] A method for preparing plant-based meat using 3D printing includes the following steps:

[0029] (1) Add the pea protein gel system into the barrel of the 3D printer, and pre-design or select the product printing structure model and printing program steps in the 3D printing equipment program;

[0030] (2) Start the printing program. The 3D printing equipment extrudes the 3D printing material onto the work platform in a layered printing manner according to the preset product structure model layer information. Under the control of the 3D model in the software system, the material is extruded and stacked into a three-dimensional solid structure through the extrusion nozzle by controlling the barrel temperature and printing speed, thereby producing a 3D printed product.

[0031] (3) The printed product is cooked by heating and steaming to obtain the plant-based protein meat product.

[0032] Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the printing parameters are set as follows: the nozzle diameter is 0.4-1.55 mm, the printing height is 0.6-10 mm, the printing temperature is 25-60℃, and the printing speed, moving speed and extrusion speed are all 10-35 mm / s.

[0033] Preferably, in the above technical solution, the nozzle diameter is 1.20 mm, the printing height is 1.60 mm, the printing temperature is 35℃, and the printing speed, moving speed and extrusion speed are all 30 mm / s.

[0034] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0035] (1) This invention optimizes the optimal addition levels of raw and auxiliary materials through single-factor and orthogonal experiments: based on 25 g of pea protein paste, 30 wt% pea protein powder, 40 wt% potato starch, 12 wt% gelatin, 85 wt% water, and 1.0 wt% TG enzyme are added. The pea-based protein gel system prepared under this formulation has no obvious off-odor and good acceptability; it is smooth and free of breaks during printing, with good fluidity; the accuracy and stability of the printed model are 98.01% and 97.86%, respectively; it has a high degree of smoothness and no excess material in appearance; it has no obvious deformation after steaming and cooking; and its hardness and elasticity are closer to those of commercially available meat, at 2147.74 g and 0.81, respectively. Overall, it is a pea protein gel system suitable for 3D printing. Meanwhile, by coloring the pea protein gel system, the optimal pigment addition conditions were determined: red yeast rice and beetroot pigment were 0.01% and 0.04% of the pea protein gel system mass, respectively. Under these conditions, the L*, a*, and b* values ​​were closest to those of commercially available meat.

[0036] (2) This application also investigated the impact of five key printing parameters—nozzle diameter, printing height, printing speed, printing temperature, and infill structure—on the printing effect through single-factor experiments, and determined the optimal printing parameters. The results are as follows: nozzle diameter 1.20 mm, printing height 1.60 mm, printing temperature 35 ℃, printing speed, moving speed, and extrusion speed are all 30 mm / s, and the infill structure needs to be customized according to actual needs. The optimized printed model has a regular surface, clear contours, high printing accuracy and stability, and high printing efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 The effect of pea protein powder addition on printing accuracy and printing stability;

[0038] Figure 2 The effect of pea protein powder addition on flow stress and apparent viscosity;

[0039] Figure 3 The effect of pea protein powder addition on breakage rate and sensory evaluation;

[0040] Figure 4 The effect of potato starch addition on printing accuracy and printing stability;

[0041] Figure 5 The effect of potato starch addition on dynamic viscoelasticity;

[0042] Figure 6 The effect of potato starch addition on breakage rate and sensory evaluation;

[0043] Figure 7 The effect of gelatin addition on printing accuracy and printing stability;

[0044] Figure 8 The effect of gelatin addition on dynamic viscoelasticity;

[0045] Figure 9 The effect of gelatin addition on breakage rate and sensory evaluation;

[0046] Figure 10 The effect of distilled water addition on printing accuracy and printing stability;

[0047] Figure 11 The effect of distilled water addition on dynamic viscoelasticity;

[0048] Figure 12 The effect of distilled water addition on breakage rate and sensory evaluation;

[0049] Figure 13 The effect of TG enzyme addition on printing accuracy and printing stability;

[0050] Figure 14 The effect of TG enzyme dosage on dynamic viscoelasticity;

[0051] Figure 15 The effect of TG enzyme addition on strip breakage rate and sensory evaluation;

[0052] Figure 16 Colored plant-based steak print model;

[0053] Figure 17 The effect of nozzle diameter on printing accuracy and printing stability;

[0054] Figure 18 Printed model diagrams at different printing heights;

[0055] Figure 19 The impact of print height on print accuracy and print stability;

[0056] Figure 20 The impact of printing speed on print models and printing time;

[0057] Figure 21 Printing accuracy and printing time at different travel and extrusion speeds;

[0058] Figure 22The effect of printing temperature on the printed model;

[0059] Figure 23 Printing accuracy and stability at different printing temperatures;

[0060] Figure 24 Apparent viscosity at different printing temperatures;

[0061] Figure 25 Dynamic viscoelasticity at different printing temperatures. Detailed Implementation

[0062] The present invention will be further described in detail below through implementation examples. These implementation examples are carried out based on the technology of the present invention. Detailed implementation methods and specific operating procedures are provided to illustrate the inventiveness of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the following implementation examples.

[0063] The sources of raw materials involved in the following embodiments are as follows:

[0064] Pea textured protein, Yantai Shuangta Food Co., Ltd.; Pea protein powder (90% purity), Xi'an Meihe Biotechnology Co., Ltd.; Food-grade sodium alginate, food-grade transglutaminase (TG enzyme), food-grade red yeast rice food coloring, Henan Wanbang Chemical Technology Co., Ltd.; Potato starch, Dongguan Yongyi Food Co., Ltd.; Food-grade gelatin, Aladdin Reagent Co., Ltd.; Salt, China Salt Industry Co., Ltd.; Beetroot pigment, Qingdao Pengyuan Kanghua Natural Products Co., Ltd.; Heme, Xi'an Puris Bioengineering Co., Ltd.

[0065] The pea textured protein puree involved in the following embodiments was prepared by the following method, with the steps as follows:

[0066] Preparation of pea textured protein puree (moisture content approximately 70%): Place pea textured protein in boiling water and heat for 30 minutes until it becomes soft and mushy. Remove the pea textured protein and let it cool to room temperature. Filter out most of the moisture using a filter cloth. Spread it evenly on a clean square filter paper and let it stand for 30 minutes. Then, pulverize the pea textured protein into a puree and refrigerate it for later use.

[0067] In the following embodiments, a hollow cuboid (30 mm × 30 mm × 25 mm) was used to evaluate appearance, printing accuracy, and printing stability. The Repetier-Host software was used to slice the printed model, and the FOODBOT-MF extrusion-type dual-nozzle 3D printer was used to complete the printing. The printing parameters were standardized across all embodiments: nozzle diameter 1.20 mm, printing height 1.60 mm, printing speed 25 mm / s, linear infill pattern, infill density 80%, layer thickness 0.96 mm, and barrel temperature 30 °C.

[0068] The specific testing and calculation methods for printing accuracy and printing stability involved in the following embodiments and application examples are as follows:

[0069] Before calculating printing accuracy and stability, the 3D printed product is placed in an LED lightbox and photographed. The printing effect on the appearance is then evaluated, and its accuracy and stability are calculated using the following formula.

[0070] Calculation of printing accuracy: After printing, measure the side length (L1, mm) of the 3D printed product with calipers and calculate the printing accuracy according to Formula 2-1.

[0071] Calculation of printing stability: Place the printed product at room temperature (25℃) for 60 min, then measure the side length (L2, mm) with vernier calipers, and calculate the printing stability according to formula 2-2.

[0072] (Equation 0-1)

[0073] (Equation 0-2)

[0074] In the formula, L0 is the side length of the designed 3D printed model, mm; L1 is the side length of the 3D printed product, mm; and L2 is the length of the 3D printed product after 60 minutes, mm.

[0075] The rheological properties testing methods involved in the following embodiments and application examples are as follows: A DHR-2 rheometer with a 40 mm stainless steel plate was used to measure the rheological properties of the samples. Unless otherwise specified, all samples were measured at 25 °C and a 1000 μm gap, and the stress was balanced at room temperature (25 °C) for 120 s before measurement to ensure the samples were in a stable state. During the test, the applied strain was 0.05% to ensure the test material was in the linear viscoelastic region. First, in flow scan mode, at a speed of 0.01 s... -1 ~10 s -1The apparent viscosity of the printed material was determined by measuring the shear rate. Then, the viscoelasticity of the printed material was measured at a constant strain of 0.05% within an angular frequency range of 1 rad / s to 100 rad / s. Stress scanning was performed on the printed material under shear stresses ranging from 10 Pa to 5000 Pa and at an angular frequency of 10 rad / s to obtain the flow stress (τ). f Secondly, dynamic frequency scanning was performed within the angular frequency range of 0.1–100 rad / s. Finally, the shear recovery characteristics of the printing paste were measured at an angular frequency of 10 rad / s. The material was first scanned for 120 s at a strain of 0.05%, then for 120 s at a strain of 500%, then for 120 s at a strain of 0.05%, then for 120 s at a strain of 500%, and finally for 120 s at a strain of 0.05%, for a total of five scanning stages.

[0076] The test methods for textural properties involved in the following embodiments and application examples are as follows:

[0077] The hardness, elasticity, and adhesiveness of the samples were determined using a texture analyzer in TPA mode. During testing, the printed sample (a cylinder with a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 10 mm, infill pattern linear, infill density 80%) was placed at the center of the probe during indentation. The test parameters were as follows: probe type P36R, induction velocity 5.0 mm / s, induction and retrieval velocities both 2.0 mm / s, compressive strain 45%, trigger force 10 g, and the test was conducted at room temperature.

[0078] Example 1

[0079] The six pea protein gel systems suitable for 3D printing in this embodiment include 25 g of pea textured protein paste, 0 wt% (0 g), 5 wt% (1.25 g), 10 wt% (2.5 g), 20 wt% (5 g), 30 wt% (7.5 g), or 40 wt% (10 g) of pea protein powder, 30 wt% (7.5 g) of potato starch, 8 wt% (2 g) of gelatin, 80 wt% (20 g) of distilled water, and 1.2 wt% (0.3 g) of TG enzyme.

[0080] The preparation method of the pea protein gel system described above in this embodiment is as follows: Distilled water and gelatin are placed in a beaker according to the specified ratio and heated in a magnetic stirrer (50 ℃) until the gelatin melts; different amounts of pea protein powder, potato starch, and TG enzyme are added to the pea protein paste, and the mixture is stirred well. The resulting mixture is then added to the melted gelatin and stirred well to obtain the six pea protein gel systems. The optimal amount of pea protein powder is determined based on printing accuracy and stability, rheology, texture, and sensory evaluation.

[0081] The effect of pea protein powder addition on printing characteristics

[0082] from Figure 1 It can be seen that both insufficient and excessive addition of pea protein powder are detrimental to the formation of the printed model, and the addition of pea protein powder can significantly affect the shape of the printed model. Without added pea protein powder, the sample cannot be formed due to poor support; with insufficient pea protein powder, the printed model shows water seepage and is prone to collapse, but this condition improves with increasing pea protein powder content; the printability is better when the pea protein powder content is in the range of 20wt%~30wt%; however, when the pea protein powder content is 40wt%, the poor fluidity of the entire protein system makes extrusion difficult, resulting in continuous material breaks and poor printing quality. Overall, printing accuracy and printing stability both show an increasing trend within the printable range, reaching their maximum values ​​at an addition content of 30wt%, at 99.06% and 98.54%, respectively.

[0083] Effect of pea protein powder addition on printing rheological properties

[0084] Figure 2-3 (A) shows the flow stress scan of the pea protein gel system. In the stress scan, the flow stress refers to the force corresponding to the equality of Gʹ and Gʺ, which represents the minimum force required to start the material flow. The figure shows that the flow stress gradually increases with the increase of pea protein powder content. The flow stresses for pea protein powder content increasing from 0% to 40% are 2889.02, 4293.65, 5148.86, 6244.68, and 9608.57 Pa, respectively. Figure (B) shows the apparent viscosity of the pea protein gel system, which reflects the change in viscosity as the shear rate increases. The equation is η = K × γ. n-1 The shear-thinning properties of printed materials are often quantitatively described using η, where η is the apparent viscosity, K is the consistency coefficient, γ is the shear rate, and n is the flow behavior index (n>1 indicates a plastic fluid, n<1 indicates a pseudoplastic fluid, and the smaller the n value, the stronger the shear-thinning ability). The figure shows that the apparent viscosity of the pea protein gel system gradually decreases with increasing shear rate under different amounts of pea protein powder. This is because the printed material contains high-molecular-weight gel particles, most of which exhibit a chain-like structure. When there is no shear effect or the shear effect is small, they adhere to each other, resulting in a high viscosity. When the shear rate increases, the shear stress between laminar flows causes the relatively disordered chain-like structures to contract and clump together, reducing adhesion, thus exhibiting shear-thinning. The results indicate that this system is a pseudoplastic fluid and a good material for 3D printing.

[0085] Effect of pea protein powder addition on textural properties

[0086] This invention selected three indicators—hardness, adhesiveness, and elasticity—to evaluate the pea protein gel system. Table 1 shows the changes in hardness, adhesiveness, and elasticity of the pea protein gel system when different amounts of pea protein powder were added. As can be seen from the table, the hardness, adhesiveness, and elasticity of the system all increase with the increase of pea protein powder addition. This is because with the increase of pea protein addition, the number of protein molecules forming gel per unit volume in the system also increases, enhancing the intermolecular interactions within a certain space and promoting the stability of the protein gel network structure. The table shows that, within the printable range, when the pea protein powder addition is 30%, the hardness, adhesiveness, and elasticity are 2696.29 g, 1436.17 g, and 0.84 g, respectively.

[0087] Table 1. Effect of pea protein powder addition on textural properties

[0088]

[0089] Figure 3 The effect of different amounts of pea protein powder on the breakage rate and sensory evaluation was investigated. As shown in the figure, when the amount of pea protein powder added was below 30 wt%, the breakage rate during printing was zero. This is because when the amount of pea protein powder added is small or appropriate, the system has strong fluidity. Further addition leads to breakage because excessive pea protein powder prevents it from fully dissolving in the system, reducing the system's interaction and thus decreasing fluidity. The sensory score initially increased and then decreased with increasing pea protein powder content. When the amount of pea protein powder added was small, the gel system was generally soft and lacked firmness, while excessive addition resulted in a rough, grainy surface on the printed model, and may even lead to printing failure. Considering factors such as printing accuracy and stability, textural properties, and sensory evaluation, a pea protein addition amount of 30 wt% was selected.

[0090] Example 2

[0091] The six pea protein gel systems suitable for 3D printing in this embodiment include 25 g of pea textured protein paste, 0 wt% or 10 wt% or 20 wt% or 30 wt% or 40 wt% or 50 wt% of potato starch, 30 wt% of pea protein powder, 8 wt% of gelatin, 80 wt% of distilled water, and 1.2 wt% of TG enzyme.

[0092] The preparation method of the pea protein gel system described above in this embodiment is as follows: Distilled water and gelatin are placed in a beaker according to the specified ratio and heated in a magnetic stirrer (50 ℃) until the gelatin melts; different amounts of potato starch, pea protein powder, and TG enzyme are added to the pea protein paste and mixed well; the resulting mixture is then added to the melted gelatin and mixed well to obtain the six pea protein gel systems. The optimal amount of potato starch is determined based on printing accuracy and stability, rheology, texture, and sensory evaluation.

[0093] The effect of potato starch addition on printing characteristics

[0094] Depend on Figure 4 When the amount of potato starch added is low, the surface of the printed model is relatively rough and the shape is irregular. This is because potato starch not only makes the nutrition more balanced in the pea-based protein gel system, but also acts as a thickener. Insufficient addition leads to insufficient adhesion between the components of the system, causing material breakage and resulting in poor printing quality. As the amount of potato starch added increases, the surface smoothness of the entire system is effectively improved, and the overall shape is also enhanced. However, excessive addition can cause difficulties in material extrusion and damage the printing system (extrusion pressure). Printing accuracy and stability show a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with increasing potato starch addition, reaching their maximum values ​​at 40% potato starch addition, at 98.57% and 98.46% respectively. This is because too little potato starch cannot form a stable gel system, while too much potato starch will cause excessive agglomeration of the system, leading to extrusion difficulties.

[0095] Effect of potato starch addition on rheological properties

[0096] Figure 5 The effect of potato starch addition on the dynamic viscoelasticity of the protein gel system is shown in the figure. As the angular frequency increases, both the storage modulus and loss modulus increase, with the former consistently greater than the latter. The continuous increase of Gʹ and Gʺ indicates improved printing performance, stability, and support properties of the system. However, this gradual increase also implies decreased overall flowability, potentially leading to extrusion difficulties during printing, increased breakage rate, and poorer printing results.

[0097] Effect of potato starch addition on textural properties

[0098] Table 2 shows the effect of potato starch addition on textural properties. As the figure shows, with the increase of potato starch addition, the hardness, adhesiveness, and elasticity of the system continuously increase. This is because with the increase of starch concentration, the number of starch molecules per unit volume increases, the probability of intermolecular bonding through hydrogen bonds increases, and the resulting network structure becomes more compact, thus increasing the product's hardness, adhesiveness, and elasticity. When the potato starch addition increases from 40% to 50%, the increase becomes smaller. When too much potato starch is added, the materials and molecules within the gel system cannot achieve good integration, resulting in an unstable state. When the potato starch addition is 50%, the hardness, adhesiveness, and elasticity are 3223.27 g, 1641.36 g, and 0.86, respectively.

[0099] Table 2 Effect of potato starch addition on textural properties

[0100]

[0101] Effects of potato starch addition on breakage rate and sensory evaluation

[0102] Potato starch can act as a thickener in pea protein gel printing systems. Figure 6 It can be seen that without the addition of potato starch, the printing breakage rate is as high as 44%, and the extrusion line ability is not conducive to the presentation of the printed model. This indicates that too little potato starch is added, which easily leads to breakage. However, adding too much potato starch can also cause extrusion difficulties during printing. For example, when 50% is added, the breakage rate is 34.7%, which is due to the excessive viscosity of the system. When the potato starch content is around 30%, no breakage occurs, which is beneficial for printing. The sensory score shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with the increase of potato starch content, and the highest score is reached at 40% with a score of 25.4. However, the sensory score decreases with further increases, possibly due to poor surface smoothness leading to poor acceptability.

[0103] Example 3

[0104] The five pea protein gel systems suitable for 3D printing in this embodiment include 25 g of pea textured protein paste, 0 wt% or 4 wt% or 8 wt% or 12 wt% or 16 wt% gelatin, 20 wt% pea protein powder, 30 wt% potato starch, 80 wt% distilled water, and 1.2 wt% TG enzyme.

[0105] The preparation method of the pea protein gel system described above in this embodiment is as follows: Distilled water and gelatin of different contents are placed in beakers according to the formula and heated in a magnetic stirrer (50 ℃) until the gelatin melts; pea protein powder, potato starch, and TG enzyme are added to pea protein paste according to the formula and mixed well; the resulting mixture is added to the melted gelatin of different contents and mixed well to obtain the five pea protein gel systems. The optimal amount of gelatin is determined based on printing accuracy and stability, rheology, texture, and sensory evaluation.

[0106] The impact of gelatin addition on printing characteristics and product quality

[0107] Figure 7 This study investigates the impact of gelatin addition on printing quality, accuracy, and stability. When no gelatin is added or the amount is low, the printed model has a rough surface and lacks some lines. This is because the system lacks a binding agent, leading to material breakage during extrusion. This also results in poor printing accuracy and inadequate support, leading to poor stability. Adding more gelatin does not always have a positive effect on printing quality. For example, when the gelatin addition is 16%, missing lines reappear on the surface. This is because excessive gelatin causes the entire system to overreact and clump together, requiring more pressure during extrusion and resulting in poorer printing quality and accuracy.

[0108] Effect of Gelatin Addition Amount on Rheological Properties

[0109] Depend on Figure 8 It can be seen that both Gʹ and Gʺ of this system increase with increasing angular frequency. Gʹ remains almost unchanged, indicating that the amount of gelatin added from 0% to 16% has no significant effect on the elasticity of the system. However, Gʺ shows an increasing trend, indicating that gelatin contributes significantly to the viscosity of the system. Gelatin acts as a "binder" in this system, which is consistent with... Figure 8 The amount of gelatin affects the printing characteristics accordingly. When the gelatin content is low, broken lines are more likely to occur in the print, while as the gelatin content increases, broken lines do not occur.

[0110] Effect of Gelatin Addition Amount on Texture Properties

[0111] Table 3 shows the effect of different gelatin addition amounts on the textural properties of the pea protein gel system. The hardness and adhesiveness of the system both increase with increasing gelatin content, while the elasticity initially increases and then stabilizes, indicating that gelatin has a significant impact on the system. This is because gelatin forms a viscous solution with water after a 50°C water bath, fully mixing into the system and making it more stable. Furthermore, as the gelatin content increases, the system becomes more stable, with enhanced adhesiveness and elasticity. Simultaneously, the gel strength also increases with increasing gelatin content, demonstrating that gelatin can improve the system's strength and make the printed model more stable. However, excessive gelatin can also lead to difficulty in extrusion during actual printing, which can be reflected in the printed model.

[0112] Table 3 Effect of gelatin addition amount on textural properties

[0113]

[0114] Effect of Gelatin Addition on Breakage and Sensory Evaluation

[0115] Figure 9 The effect of gelatin addition on breakage rate and sensory evaluation was investigated. As shown in the figure, the effect of gelatin addition on the breakage rate of this system initially decreased and then increased. When the amount of gelatin added was low, the lack of "glue" binding gelling proteins in the system resulted in a high breakage rate, while excessive addition led to poor extrusion due to poor flowability. The sensory score initially increased and then decreased with increasing gelatin addition. This is because adding gelatin makes the system more stable, and the printing effect improves within a suitable range. However, excessive gelatin not only leads to poor printing accuracy and extrusion difficulties, but also imparts a gelatinous odor to the system. Considering all factors, a gelatin addition amount of 12 wt% was selected for subsequent experiments.

[0116] Example 4

[0117] The five pea protein gel systems suitable for 3D printing in this embodiment include 25 g of pea textured protein paste, 60wt% or 70wt% or 80wt% or 90wt% or 100wt% of distilled water, 20wt% of pea protein powder, 30wt% of potato starch, 8wt% of gelatin, and 1.2wt% of TG enzyme.

[0118] The preparation method of the pea protein gel system described above in this embodiment is as follows: Distilled water and gelatin of different proportions are placed in beakers according to the specified ratio and heated in a magnetic stirrer (50 ℃) until the gelatin melts; pea protein powder, potato starch, and TG enzyme are added to the pea protein paste according to the specified ratio and mixed well; the resulting mixture is then added to the melted gelatin of different proportions and mixed well to obtain the five pea protein gel systems. The optimal amount of distilled water was determined based on printing accuracy and stability, rheology, texture, and sensory evaluation.

[0119] Depend on Figure 10 It can be seen that the printing effect, accuracy, and stability are optimal when the distilled water content is 80%. When the distilled water content is low, the gel system has poor fluidity, leading to clogging during printing, as shown in the figure where the printed model is not completely filled. When the distilled water content is high, the interactions between the components in the gel system are weak, resulting in low structural strength and poor support in the printed model, leading to an overall poor print quality. With an 80% distilled water content, the printing accuracy and stability are 98.19% and 97.61%, respectively.

[0120] Effect of water addition on rheological properties

[0121] Figure 11 The effect of water addition on the storage modulus (A) and loss modulus (B) of the system. As shown in the figure, both Gʹ and Gʺ increase with increasing angular frequency, but their relative values ​​gradually decrease with increasing water addition. This indicates that when the water addition is low, the system has too high elastic viscosity, resulting in poor flowability and extrusion difficulties. Conversely, when the water addition is excessive, the system cannot maintain good support and stability, and therefore cannot achieve good printing performance.

[0122] Effect of water addition on textural properties

[0123] As shown in Table 4, the hardness, adhesiveness, and elasticity of the gel system decrease with increasing water content. This is because when water content is low, the interactions between the pea protein, TG enzyme, and polysaccharides in the system result in high textural properties, and the low water content leads to poor overall fluidity, allowing the system to maintain a strong mechanical structure when the probe is pressed down during the TPA test. However, as the water content increases, the interactions between the components in the system gradually weaken, leading to increased fluidity, which is not conducive to the formation of a stable gel network structure. Furthermore, some free water adheres to the gel surface, which is detrimental to molding and results in poor appearance.

[0124] Table 4 Effect of distilled water addition on textural properties

[0125]

[0126] Effect of distilled water addition on breakage rate and sensory evaluation

[0127] Figure 12 The effect of distilled water addition on the breakage rate and sensory evaluation of the system was investigated. The breakage rate decreased with increasing water addition, reaching zero when the addition was 80%. Increasing the amount of distilled water improved the system's fluidity, leading to a gradual decrease in the breakage rate. The sensory score initially increased and then decreased, reaching its highest point of 25.33 when the distilled water addition was 80%, indicating that both excessive and insufficient water addition resulted in a lower sensory score.

[0128] Example 5

[0129] The five pea protein gel systems suitable for 3D printing in this embodiment include 25 g of pea textured protein paste, 0 wt% or 0.6 wt% or 1.2 wt% or 1.8 wt% or 2.4 wt% of TG enzyme, 20 wt% of pea protein powder, 30 wt% of potato starch, 8 wt% of gelatin, and 80 wt% of distilled water.

[0130] The preparation method of the pea protein gel system described above in this embodiment is as follows: Distilled water and gelatin are placed in a beaker according to the specified ratio and heated in a magnetic stirrer (50 ℃) until the gelatin melts; pea protein powder, potato starch, and different amounts of TG enzyme are added to the pea protein paste according to the specified ratio and mixed well; the resulting mixture is then added to different amounts of melted gelatin and mixed well to obtain the five pea protein gel systems. The optimal amount of TG enzyme is determined based on printing accuracy and stability, rheology, texture, and sensory evaluation.

[0131] The effect of TG enzyme dosage on printing characteristics and product quality

[0132] Depend on Figure 13 It can be seen that when the amount of TG enzyme added is zero, the printing effect is poor. This is because TG enzyme promotes cross-linking between proteins, improving the stability and mechanical strength of the system. Without TG enzyme, this effect is not achieved. However, adding too much TG enzyme is also detrimental to the stability of the spatial network, leading to excessive cross-linking and preventing water from being effectively retained within the network structure. Printing accuracy and stability reflect the impact of the amount of TG enzyme added on the system; too much or too little will result in poor printing characteristics.

[0133] Effect of TG enzyme dosage on rheological properties

[0134] Figure 14This study investigates the effects of different amounts of TG enzyme added on the storage modulus (A) and loss modulus (B) of the pea protein gel system. The figure shows that both Gʹ and Gʺ increase with increasing angular frequency, and at the same angular frequency, the storage modulus is consistently greater than the loss modulus, indicating that the system remains in an elastically dominant state, primarily undergoing elastoviscous deformation. With increasing TG enzyme content, both modulo- and TG-dependent modulo ...

[0135] Effect of TG enzyme dosage on textural properties

[0136] Table 4 shows the effect of TG enzyme addition on the texture of pea protein gel. The hardness, adhesiveness, and elasticity of the system generally showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, reaching their maximum values ​​when 1.2% TG enzyme was added, with hardness, adhesiveness, and elasticity values ​​of 2131.50 g, 1235.28 g, and 0.83, respectively. This is because TG enzyme catalyzes protein cross-linking reactions; moderate addition can promote the formation of a dense gel network structure, enhancing the system's ability to bind water within the matrix. When the TG enzyme addition exceeded 1.8%, all three properties showed a decreasing trend, due to excessive cross-linking disrupting the stable structure of the pea protein gel system.

[0137] Table 5 Effect of TG enzyme dosage on textural properties

[0138]

[0139] Effect of TG enzyme dosage on breakage rate and sensory evaluation

[0140] Figure 15 This study investigated the effects of TG enzyme on strip breakage rate and sensory evaluation. The strip breakage rate initially decreased and then increased with increasing TG enzyme concentration, reaching zero at a concentration of 1.2%. Overall, the sensory score initially increased and then decreased with increasing TG enzyme concentration, reaching its highest point at 1.2%. Both excessive and insufficient TG enzyme concentration are detrimental to the spatial network stability of the gel, resulting in a rough or broken print, thus leading to a low sensory score.

[0141] orthogonal experiment

[0142] The single-factor experimental design included five single factors: pea protein powder, potato starch, gelatin, water, and TG enzyme. Considering that the amount of gelatin added does not significantly affect the printing characteristics and sensory evaluation satisfaction of the product when the amount of gelatin is varied by about 12 wt%, four single factors other than gelatin, namely pea protein powder, potato starch, water, and TG enzyme, were selected as experimental contents in the orthogonal experiment. Three levels were selected. The results of the orthogonal experiment are shown in Table 6.

[0143] Table 6. Results of Orthogonal Experiments

[0144]

[0145] Table 6 shows that the orthogonal experimental results indicate that the amount of pea protein powder added has the greatest impact on sensory evaluation. Table 7 is the orthogonal analysis of variance table. Based on the F-values, the order of influence on the experimental results is: pea protein powder, potato starch, TG enzyme, and distilled water. The optimal combination of the four single factors was finally obtained as A2B2C3D1, namely 30wt% pea protein powder, 40wt% potato starch, 85wt% distilled water, and 1.0wt% TG enzyme.

[0146] Table 7 Analysis of Variance Table

[0147]

[0148] Example 7

[0149] The three pea protein gel systems suitable for 3D printing in this embodiment include 25 g of pea tissue protein paste, 40 wt% (10 g) of potato starch, 30 wt% (7.5 g) of pea protein powder, 12 wt% (3 g) of gelatin, 85 wt% (21.25 g) of distilled water, 1.0 wt% (2.5 g) of TG enzyme, and 0.05 wt% (0.0125 g) of red yeast rice.

[0150] The preparation method of the pea protein gel system described above in this embodiment is basically the same as that in Example 1, except that the types and amounts of raw materials used in this embodiment are different.

[0151] Example 8

[0152] The three pea protein gel systems suitable for 3D printing in this embodiment are basically the same as those in Example 7, except that the pigment used in this embodiment is beetroot, and its amount is 0.05wt% (0.0125g).

[0153] Example 9

[0154] The three pea protein gel systems suitable for 3D printing in this embodiment are basically the same as those in Example 7, except that the pigment used in this embodiment is heme, and the amount used is 0.05wt% (0.0125g).

[0155] Table 8. Effects of adding a single pigment, pea protein, on the color of plant-based protein.

[0156]

[0157] The experimental results are shown in Table 8. In L* In terms of values, the pea protein plant-based protein meat with different added pigments was: red yeast rice red < control group < soybean heme < betaine; the group with added red yeast rice red pigment was close to the control group; in a * In terms of values, the pea protein plant-based protein meat with different added pigments was: soybean heme < beetroot pigment < control group < red yeast rice red; the groups with added beetroot pigment and red yeast rice red were close to the control group; in b * In terms of values, the pea protein plant-based protein meat with different added pigments was: control group < soybean heme < red yeast rice < betaine. The addition of soybean heme was closest to the control group. Overall, red yeast rice and betaine pigments could make the system appear red, while heme made the system appear grayish-green. However, they were not very close in terms of values ​​and appearance. Therefore, the first two were selected for the compounding experiment.

[0158] The effect of added pigments on the color of pea protein plant-based protein meat

[0159] Since the combination of red yeast rice and beetroot pigment at 0.05 wt% is closer to commercially available meat, four experimental groups (see Table 9) were set up with 0.05 wt% as the standard to explore the L*, a*, and b* values ​​that are closest to commercially available meat. As shown in Table 9, after comparing the four experimental groups with the control group, it was found that the experimental group with the addition of red yeast rice and beetroot pigment at 0.01 wt% and 0.04 wt% respectively was closer to the control group in terms of L*, a*, and b* values. Therefore, this group was used to color the system and print plant-based "steak", and the printing effect is shown in Figure 2-23.

[0160] Table 9. Effects of compound pigments on the color of pea protein plant-based protein

[0161]

[0162] The pea protein gel system used in the following application examples consists of: 25 g of pea textured protein paste, 40 wt% (10 g) of potato starch, 30 wt% (7.5 g) of pea protein powder, 12 wt% (3 g) of gelatin, 85 wt% (21.25 g) of distilled water, 1.0 wt% (2.5 g) of TG enzyme, 0.01 wt% (0.0025 g) of red yeast rice and 0.04 wt% (0.01 g) of beetroot pigment.

[0163] Application Example 1

[0164] The six methods for preparing plant-based meat using 3D printing in this application embodiment include the following steps:

[0165] (1) Add the pea protein gel system into the barrel of the 3D printer, and pre-design or select the product printing structure model and printing program steps in the 3D printing equipment program;

[0166] (2) Start the printing program. The 3D printing equipment extrudes the 3D printing material onto the work platform in a layered printing manner according to the preset product structure model layer information. Under the control of the 3D model in the software system, the material is extruded and stacked into a three-dimensional solid structure through the extrusion nozzle by controlling the barrel temperature and printing speed, thereby producing a 3D printed product.

[0167] (3) The printed product is cooked through heating and steaming processes to obtain the finished plant-based protein meat product.

[0168] In step (2) above, the nozzle diameter is set to 1.20 mm, the printing height is 1.60 mm, the printing speed, moving speed and extrusion speed are all 25 mm / s, the filling mode is linear, the filling density is 80%, and the printing temperature is set to 25, 30, 35, 40, 50 and 60 ℃ respectively.

[0169] The effect of nozzle diameter on printing accuracy and printing stability

[0170] Figure 17 This section describes the printing accuracy and stability under different nozzle diameters. As shown in the figure, with increasing nozzle diameter, both printing accuracy and stability exhibit a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. The absolute value of the printed model is closest to the set model when the nozzle diameter is 0.84 mm. This is because when the nozzle diameter is too small, discontinuous material output and thin printed lines result in poor adhesion and deposition between lines and layers, leading to poor accuracy and stability. Conversely, as the nozzle diameter increases, the lines become thicker, resulting in larger gaps between printed lines. Ultimately, the combined effect of thicker lines and gaps causes overall deviation in the printing effect. Furthermore, the model printed with a 1.20 mm nozzle diameter exhibits the lowest deformation rate, meaning that models printed with a 1.20 mm nozzle are more stable. The poor printing stability of excessively small nozzle diameters is due to the thin lines lacking connection, while the poor stability of excessively large nozzle diameters is due to the thick lines causing greater gravitational force and deposition deformation.

[0171] The effect of nozzle diameter on printing time and line breakage rate

[0172] Table 3-2 shows the printing time and breakage rate for different nozzle diameters. When the nozzle diameter is less than 0.41 mm, the breakage rate is 100% due to the inability to extrude lines, making it impossible to calculate the printing time. When the nozzle diameter is between 0.60 mm and 1.55 mm, the printing time is reduced from 2591 s to 496 s, indicating a significant improvement in efficiency. The breakage rate also decreases from 42.22% to 0%, demonstrating a significant improvement in printing quality as the nozzle diameter increases. While a large nozzle diameter results in shorter printing time and no breakage, it also leads to poor printing accuracy and higher material usage. Conversely, a small nozzle diameter can cause wear and tear on the printing machine due to difficulty in extruded lines. Considering printing efficiency, accuracy, and material usage, a nozzle diameter of 1.20 mm was selected for subsequent experiments.

[0173] Table 10 Printing Time and Strip Breakage Rate under Different Nozzle Diameters

[0174]

[0175] Application Example 2

[0176] The eight methods for preparing plant-based meat using 3D printing in this application embodiment are basically the same as those in application embodiment 1, except that: in step (2) of this application embodiment, the nozzle diameter is set to 1.20 mm, the printing speed, moving speed and extrusion speed are all 25 mm / s, the printing temperature is 30 ℃, the filling mode is linear, the filling density is 80%, and the printing height is set to 0.00, 0.60, 1.60, 2.00, 3.00, 5.00, 8.00 and 10.00 mm respectively.

[0177] The effect of printing height on the printing effect of pea protein gel system

[0178] Figure 18We printed model diagrams of pea protein gel systems at different printing heights, and based on the actual printing effect of the models, we distributed the regions with good and bad printing effects at different printing heights. As shown in the figure, when the printing height is less than 0.60 mm, the printed material will be difficult to extrude due to the nozzle being too close to the plane; this is called the extrusion difficulty area. When the printing height is between 0.60 mm and 1.60 mm, because the diameter of the printed material is greater than the distance between the nozzle and the plane, the nozzle will touch the model, resulting in an undesirable model shape; this is called the extrusion touch area. When the printing height is between 1.60 mm and 2.00 mm, the nozzle will neither touch the printed model nor cause poor adhesion between lines due to the nozzle being too far from the plane; this is called the optimal extrusion area. When the printing height is between 2.00 mm and 3.00 mm, poor adhesion between lines and the plane and between layers begins to appear at the bottom. When the printing height is between 3.0 mm and 5.00 mm, the connection between lines between layers becomes even weaker, and a gap gradually appears. When the printing height is between 5.0 mm and 8.00 mm, broken lines begin to appear during printing; this may be due to the lines moving and breaking when suspended during printing at too high a printing height. When the printing height is between 8.00 mm and 9.00 mm... When the thickness is between 10.00 mm and 10.00 mm, the printed model is affected as a whole, resulting in poor printability.

[0179] The impact of print height on print accuracy and print stability

[0180] Figure 19 This study examines the printing accuracy and stability of the pea protein gel system at different printing heights. Overall, both printing accuracy and stability initially increase and then decrease with increasing printing height, reaching their optimal values ​​of 100.31% and 97.50% at a printing height of 1.60 mm. Poor accuracy and stability at printing heights less than 1.60 mm are attributed to scratching issues, while those greater than 1.60 mm are due to loose layer-to-layer bonding and gaps between layers.

[0181] Application Example 3

[0182] The six methods for preparing plant-based meat using 3D printing in this application embodiment are basically the same as those in application embodiment 1, except that: in step (2) of this application embodiment, the nozzle diameter is set to 1.20 mm, the printing height is 1.60 mm, the printing temperature is 30 ℃, the filling mode is linear, the filling density is 80%, and the printing speed is set to 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 mm / s for optimization experiments. Based on 30 mm / s, the moving speed and extrusion speed are explored, with a variation range of 50% to 200% of 30 mm / s.

[0183] The impact of printing speed on print models and printing time

[0184] Depend on Figure 20 It can be seen that changing the printing speed from 10 mm / s to 30 mm / s has almost no impact on the printed model. Only when the speed is increased to 35 mm / s does noticeable incompleteness appear. In other words, when the printing speed is less than 35 mm / s, there is no significant difference in the printed model's size and dimensions. However, there is a significant change in printing time, decreasing from 1653.67 s at 10 mm / s to 645.67 s at 30 mm / s, indicating a significant improvement in printing efficiency. Therefore, while ensuring the integrity of the printed model, appropriately increasing the printing speed can shorten the printing time and improve printing efficiency.

[0185] The impact of feed rate and extrusion rate on printing accuracy and printing time

[0186] Figure 3-12 (A) Printing accuracy and printing time at different travel speeds. Overall, printing accuracy first increases and then decreases, while printing time continuously decreases. When the travel speed is too high, the printed model cannot form a regular shape, making printing accuracy impossible to calculate. In general, printing accuracy is not significantly affected by minor changes around 100% of the base speed and can be adjusted when improved printing efficiency is needed. (B) Printing accuracy and printing time at different extrusion speeds. When the extrusion speed is set below 100% of the base speed, insufficient material output leads to poor forming. Subsequently, as the extrusion speed increases, printing accuracy gradually decreases. It can also be clearly seen from the figure that changing the extrusion speed has no effect on printing time. In actual printing, it can be concluded that for soft printing systems, the extrusion speed can be appropriately reduced to avoid over-extrusion, while for harder printing systems, the extrusion speed can be appropriately increased to improve material output continuity.

[0187] In summary, the printing speed is a general change and can be increased to improve efficiency; the moving speed is a single change and can be appropriately increased to improve efficiency; the extrusion speed is a single change and can be increased or decreased depending on the printing system. This experiment prioritizes printing accuracy, therefore a printing speed of 30 mm / s was selected, with both the moving speed and extrusion speed set at 100% of 30 mm / s.

[0188] Application Example 4

[0189] The six methods for preparing plant-based meat using 3D printing in this application embodiment are basically the same as those in application embodiment 1, except that: in step (2) of this application embodiment, the nozzle diameter is set to 1.20 mm, the printing height is 1.60 mm, the printing speed, moving speed and extrusion speed are all 25 mm / s, the filling mode is linear, the filling density is 80%, and the printing temperature is set to 25, 30, 35, 40, 50 and 60 ℃ respectively.

[0190] The effect of printing temperature on printing accuracy and printing stability

[0191] The printing model of the pea protein gel system in this invention changes with printing temperature as follows: Figure 22 As shown in the diagram, when the printing temperature is below 30℃, the printed lines are prone to breakage and the material output is discontinuous. This may be because as the system cools, the gel gradually becomes viscous, eventually losing its fluidity and becoming elastic. When the printing temperature is between 30℃ and 50℃, the material output is continuous during printing, and the printed models show no significant differences in appearance. When the temperature is above 50℃, the surface smoothness of the printed model decreases, and there is excess material. This may be because the system's fluidity is higher at this temperature, causing more material to be extruded from the nozzle than should have been. Therefore, the printing temperature should be controlled during actual printing to achieve better printability.

[0192] from Figure 22 As can be seen, when the printing temperature is 25 ℃, the printed model is almost unformed; when the printing temperature is 30 ℃, although it has a shape, the printed model is still poor due to poor material flow; as the temperature increases, the printing effect gradually improves, and when the printing temperature is between 30 ℃ and 50 ℃, the printed models are indistinguishable and all are good; however, when the temperature is greater than 50 ℃, the smoothness of the printed model decreases.

[0193] Figure 23 The printing accuracy and stability of the pea protein gel system were evaluated at different printing temperatures. When the temperature increased from 30℃ to 60℃, both printing accuracy and stability first increased and then decreased, reaching their maximum values ​​at a printing temperature of 35℃, where the printing accuracy and stability were 100.25% and 97.50%, respectively.

[0194] Figure 24 Table 11 shows the changes in the apparent viscosity of the pea protein gel system at different temperatures. It can be seen that the viscosity of the system decreases with increasing temperature, and the K value also decreases from 2224.95 Pa•S at 25 ℃. n 687.43 Pa•S at 60 ℃ n .

[0195] Table 11. K and n values ​​of the fitted model at different printing temperatures

[0196]

[0197] The effect of printing temperature on dynamic viscoelasticity

[0198] Figure 25 This figure shows the dynamic viscoelasticity of the pea protein system at different printing temperatures. As the figure shows, both Gʹ and Gʺ increase with increasing angular frequency and decrease with increasing temperature, with Gʹ consistently greater than Gʺ, indicating that the system maintains an elastic advantage at different temperatures. This suggests that increasing temperature makes the system softer because it promotes thermal motion between molecules, making the system increasingly "thin." However, in actual experiments, it was found that when the temperature is above 50 ℃, the direct contact between the tested gel and the substrate leads to heat loss of moisture, causing the measured data at higher angular frequencies to become distorted over time, although this does not affect the overall trend. The dynamic viscoelasticity data also correspond one-to-one with the printed pattern and printing stability.

Claims

1. A pea protein gel system suitable for 3D printing, characterized in that: It includes the following ingredients: pea textured protein puree, pea protein powder, potato starch, gelatin, distilled water, and TG enzyme; Based on the quality of pea protein puree, the content of each component is as follows: 100 servings of pea textured protein puree 20-30 servings of pea protein powder 20-40 parts by weight of potato starch 4-16 parts by weight of gelatin 70-100 parts by weight of distilled water TG enzyme 0.6-1.8 parts by weight; The raw material components also include red yeast rice pigment and beetroot pigment; the content of red yeast rice pigment is 0.01 parts by weight; the content of beetroot pigment is 0.04 parts by weight.

2. The pea protein gel system according to claim 1, characterized in that: Based on the quality of pea protein puree, the content of each component is as follows: 100 servings of pea textured protein puree 30 servings of pea protein powder 40 parts by weight of potato starch 12 parts by weight of gelatin 85 parts by weight of distilled water 1 part by weight of TG enzyme.

3. The method for preparing the pea protein gel system according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: Mix distilled water and gelatin according to the formula, and heat and stir until the gelatin is completely melted; then mix the pea protein paste, pea protein powder, potato starch and TG enzyme according to the formula, add the resulting mixture to the melted gelatin, and mix well to obtain the pea protein gel system.

4. The application of the pea protein gel system according to any one of claims 1-2 in the 3D printing preparation of plant-based meat protein.

5. A method for preparing plant-based meat using 3D printing, characterized in that: The steps include: (1) adding the pea protein gel system into the barrel of the 3D printer, and pre-designing or selecting the product printing structure model and printing program steps in the 3D printing equipment program; wherein: the pea protein gel system is the pea protein gel system according to any one of claims 1-2; (2) Start the printing program. The 3D printing equipment extrudes the 3D printing material onto the work platform in a layered printing manner according to the preset product structure model layer information. Under the control of the 3D model in the software system, the material is extruded and stacked into a three-dimensional solid structure through the extrusion nozzle by controlling the barrel temperature and printing speed, thereby producing a 3D printed product. (3) The printed product is cooked by heating and steaming to obtain the plant-based protein meat product.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The nozzle diameter is 1.20 mm, the printing height is 1.60 mm, the printing temperature is 35 ℃, and the printing speed, moving speed and extrusion speed are all 30 mm / s.

Images