Method for preparing high-fiber-feeling artificial meat from yeast protein and soybean protein composite material and product of high-fiber-feeling artificial meat

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for preparing high-fiber-feeling artificial meat from a yeast protein and soybean protein composite material and a product thereof. The method comprises the following steps: partially replacing soybean protein with yeast protein, mixing, and carrying out texturization treatment through high-moisture extrusion to obtain a protein tissue with a fiber structure; then freeze-drying and crushing the textured protein to prepare protein powder; the preparation method comprises the following steps: mixing protein powder with transglutaminase (TG enzyme), curdlan, monascus red and water to prepare meat paste capable of 3D printing, and forming the artificial steak according to a preset fiber trend through a 3D printing technology; and finally, carrying out surface and interior rapid dehydration treatment on the steak subjected to 3D printing molding, then putting the steak into a compression mold, carrying out mechanical compression, and further dehydrating and reinforcing a fiber structure. According to the method, dual structure regulation and control of 3D printing, drying and physical compression are combined, the fiber feeling, compactness and bionic taste of the artificial meat are remarkably improved, and the product is balanced in nutrition, stable in structure and suitable for industrial production of healthy artificial meat food.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of food processing, and in particular relates to a method for preparing high-fiber artificial meat from a yeast protein and soy protein composite material and its product. Background Art

[0002] With global climate change, increased awareness of environmental protection, and the intensification of the protein resource crisis, plant-based artificial meat has gradually become an important alternative to meat consumption. Artificial meat based on plant protein can not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce land and water resource consumption, but also meet diversified consumer needs such as vegetarianism and health. At present, commercially available artificial meat products mainly use plant proteins such as soy protein and pea protein as the main raw materials. Through high-moisture extrusion, fiber reconstruction and other technologies, protein tissue with a certain muscle fiber structure and elasticity is prepared. However, a single source of plant protein has problems such as unbalanced protein composition, incomplete amino acid spectrum, and difficult to overcome flavor masking, which affects the nutritional value and consumer experience of artificial meat.

[0003] High-moisture extrusion technology is currently the mainstream process for fiberizing plant proteins. Using high temperature, high pressure, and shearing, it orients protein molecules, creating a structure similar to animal muscle fibers. However, due to the structural and functional characteristics of the protein itself, extruded fiber structures are prone to problems such as unclear layers, low strength, and a monotonous chewing texture. Furthermore, traditional extrusion processes make it difficult to precisely control the spatial distribution and surface morphology of the fibers, resulting in a product with a significant difference in appearance from real meat.

[0004] In recent years, 3D printing technology has provided a new manufacturing path for artificial meat products. 3D printing can achieve personalized design and complex structural molding through the principle of layer-by-layer stacking, providing broad space for simulating the appearance, texture, and taste of plant-based meat. For example, by digitalizing models and regulating printing parameters, a multi-layered, orderly arranged biomimetic fiber structure can be obtained. However, 3D-printed artificial meat generally suffers from technical bottlenecks such as loose structure, low fiber strength, and narrow applicability of printing materials. In particular, in systems based on plant proteins such as soy protein, the lack of synergistic structural modification methods makes it difficult to achieve the dual improvement of high density and excellent fiber feel.

[0005] The combination and synergy of protein raw materials is an effective way to improve the fiber structure and nutritional value of artificial meat. Yeast protein, as an emerging microbial protein resource in recent years, not only has an excellent amino acid composition and high digestibility, but also has a special fermentation aroma and flavor modification ability. When compounded with soy protein, it can produce a complementary effect in structure, flavor, taste, etc., and is expected to overcome the quality bottleneck brought by the singleness of traditional plant protein. However, the synergistic application of yeast protein in large-scale artificial meat production and its structural and functional mechanism are still immature, and systematic innovation is still needed in terms of compounding ratio, process route, and structural regulation.

[0006] In addition, 3D-printed artificial meat still faces difficulties in dehydration and fiber orientation. The printed samples have a high moisture content and many internal pores, resulting in an insufficiently dense fiber structure, and unsatisfactory mechanical strength and taste. Traditional natural air-drying or drying cannot accurately control the internal structure, and can easily cause shrinkage, deformation, and deterioration of taste. Therefore, the applicant team of the present invention has found that combining physical compression and other processes to carry out directional dehydration and fiber densification of 3D-printed samples is expected to further enhance the product's fiber feel and simulated meat texture.

[0007] To sum up, how to scientifically compound yeast protein and soy protein, integrate multiple processes such as high-moisture extrusion, 3D printing, dehydration and physical compression, and synergistically achieve fiber orientation, structural density and nutritional balance of artificial meat products is the core issue that urgently needs to be broken through in the current upgrading and technological innovation of the artificial meat industry. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This invention aims to overcome the problems of existing plant-based artificial meats, such as a loose fiber structure, low biomimetic properties, and a single structural layer. It provides a method for producing highly fibrous artificial meat based on a combination of yeast protein and soy protein, combined with high-moisture extrusion, freeze-drying, 3D printing, dehydration, and mechanical compression. This method achieves a multi-layered fiber structure, improved density, and a superior meat-like texture.

[0009] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0010] A method for preparing high-fiber artificial meat from a yeast protein and soy protein composite material, comprising the following steps:

[0011] Step (1), compounding yeast protein and soy protein in proportion to obtain a compound protein raw material;

[0012] Step (2), subjecting the composite protein raw material to high-moisture extrusion texturization treatment using a twin-screw extruder to obtain a protein tissue with a fibrous structure;

[0013] Step (3), cooling, freeze-drying and crushing the protein tissue with a fibrous structure to obtain protein powder;

[0014] Step (4), mixing the protein powder with transglutaminase, curdlan, red yeast rice and water to prepare a paste for 3D printing;

[0015] Step (5), using a 3D printing device to print and shape the paste according to a preset fiber direction and structure to obtain an artificial meat steak with a directional fiber structure;

[0016] Step (6): Rapidly dehydrate the surface and interior of the 3D-printed artificial meat steak to obtain a dehydrated artificial meat steak.

[0017] Step (7): placing the printed artificial meat steak in a compression mold for mechanical compression, thereby enhancing the fiber density and layering through external dehydration and internal structural tightening to obtain a high-fiber artificial meat product.

[0018] Furthermore, in the step (1), yeast protein accounts for 5% to 40% of the mass of the composite protein raw material.

[0019] Furthermore, in the step (2), water needs to be added during the high-moisture extrusion texturization process, and the moisture mass is 60-75% of the entire system of step (2). The twin-screw extruder has seven continuous heating zones from the beginning to the end, and the temperatures are gradually set to 55-65, 75-85, 85-95, 115-125, 125-135, 135-145 and 135-145°C, and the screw speed is 250-270rpm.

[0020] Furthermore, in the step (3), the freeze-drying treatment temperature is -35 to -25°C; and the freeze-drying treatment time is 2 to 3 days.

[0021] Furthermore, in the step (4), the protein powder, transglutaminase, curdlan, red yeast rice and water are mixed in a mass ratio of 5-10:0.04-0.08:0.34-0.54:0.012-0.024:14-25.

[0022] Furthermore, in the step (5), the printing speed is 20-30 mm / s, the number of top cover layers is 2-3, the number of bottom cover layers is 2-3, the number of outer shell circles is 2-3, and the fiber arrangement direction is controllable.

[0023] Furthermore, in step (6), the dehydration temperature is set to 60-70°C, the time is 6-10 minutes, and the microwave power is 250-800 W. The surface and internal rapid dehydration treatment methods are hot air dehydration of the surface and microwave dehydration of the internal.

[0024] Furthermore, in the step (7), the pressing pressure is 65-75N; and the pressing time is 20-40 minutes.

[0025] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: Through the scientific combination of yeast protein and soy protein and high-moisture extrusion, a preliminary biomimetic fiber structure is formed. This is then combined with freeze-drying and pulverization to achieve structural dispersion and raw material storage. 3D printing is then used to construct a multi-layered, controllable fiber structure. Finally, mechanical compression is used to further densify the fibers and enhance the layering. The result is an artificial meat product with a multi-layered, directionally arranged fiber structure, a dense interior, a muscle-like fiber distribution in cross-section, uniform color, elasticity, and excellent chewiness. This method can significantly improve the biomimetic degree, texture stability, and nutritional balance of artificial meat products, making it suitable for industrial application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the traditional technology, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0027] Figure 1 2 is a scanning electron microscope comparison diagram of different replacement ratios in the embodiments of the present application.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a comparison chart of fiber degrees at different replacement ratios in the examples of this application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Example 1:

[0030] Weigh 50g of yeast protein and 950g of soy protein, mix them thoroughly in a high-speed mixer to obtain a total of 1000g of composite protein raw materials. The moisture content of the system is adjusted to about 70%, and after mixing, it is immediately put into a twin-screw extruder equipped with seven temperature-controlled heating zones. The temperature intervals are set to 60°C, 80°C, 90°C, 120°C, 130°C, 140°C and 140°C in sequence, and the screw speed is set to 260rpm. During the extrusion process, the protein molecules undergo orientation reorganization to form a continuous fiber structure similar to muscle tissue. The extruded protein tissue is rapidly cooled, cut into small pieces and placed in a freeze dryer. It is freeze-dried at -30°C for 2 days to ensure that moisture is fully removed and the structure is stable. After the freeze-drying is completed, the protein blocks are crushed into fine powder and sieved through an 80-mesh sieve to obtain a protein powder with good fluidity and uniformity.

[0031] 5g of the above protein powder was weighed, and 0.04g of transglutaminase, 0.34g of curdlan gum, 0.012g of red yeast rice, and 14g of deionized water were added. The mixture was thoroughly mixed using a planetary mixer until the paste was homogeneous, fine, and free of lumps, with rheological properties suitable for 3D printing. The protein paste was then loaded into the barrel of a 3D printer and printed layer by layer according to the pre-set biomimetic steak structure. The printing speed was set at 25mm / s. Both the top and bottom layers were two layers, and the number of outer shells was two. The fiber arrangement was flexibly adjusted based on product requirements to ensure that the steak's cross-section exhibited an orderly layered biomimetic structure. The steak was then dehydrated at 60°C for 8 minutes at a microwave power of 400W. The finished artificial steak blank was immediately placed in a custom-made steak compression mold and pressed at a constant mechanical pressure of 65N for 30 minutes. The compression process expelled some free water, while the protein fibers within were further aligned, significantly improving the texture and density.

[0032] Example 2:

[0033] Weigh 400g of yeast protein and 600g of soy protein, mix them thoroughly in a high-speed mixer to obtain a total of 1000g of composite protein raw materials. The moisture content of the system is adjusted to about 70%, and after mixing, it is immediately put into a twin-screw extruder equipped with seven temperature-controlled heating zones. The temperature intervals are set to 65°C, 85°C, 95°C, 125°C, 135°C, 145°C and 145°C in sequence, and the screw speed is set to 265rpm. During the extrusion process, the protein molecules are oriented and reorganized to form a continuous fiber structure similar to muscle tissue. The extruded protein tissue is rapidly cooled, cut into small pieces and placed in a freeze dryer. It is freeze-dried at -35°C for 2 days to ensure that moisture is fully removed and the structure is stable. After freeze-drying, the protein blocks are crushed into fine powder and sieved through an 80-mesh sieve to obtain a protein powder with good fluidity and uniformity.

[0034] 8g of the aforementioned protein powder was weighed, and 0.08g of transglutaminase, 0.4g of curdlan gum, 0.02g of red yeast rice, and 16g of deionized water were added. The mixture was thoroughly mixed using a planetary mixer until the paste was homogeneous, fine, and free of lumps, with rheological properties suitable for 3D printing. The protein paste was then loaded into the barrel of a 3D printer and printed layer by layer according to the pre-set biomimetic steak structure. The printing speed was set at 25mm / s. Both the top and bottom layers were two layers, and the outer shell had two turns. The fiber arrangement was flexibly adjusted based on product requirements to ensure that the steak's cross-section exhibited an orderly layered biomimetic structure. The steak was then dehydrated at 65°C for 8 minutes using a microwave power of 500W. The finished artificial steak blank was then immediately placed in a custom-made steak compression mold and pressed at a constant mechanical pressure of 70N for 25 minutes. The compression process expelled some free water, while the protein fibers within were further aligned, significantly improving the texture and density.

[0035] Example 3:

[0036] Weigh 200g of yeast protein and 800g of soy protein, mix them thoroughly in a high-speed stirrer to obtain a total of 1000g of composite protein raw materials. The moisture content of the system is adjusted to about 65%, and after mixing, it is immediately put into a twin-screw extruder equipped with seven temperature-controlled heating zones. The temperature intervals are set to 60°C, 80°C, 90°C, 120°C, 130°C, 140°C and 140°C, and the screw speed is set to 260rpm. During the extrusion process, the protein molecules are oriented and reorganized to form a continuous fiber structure similar to muscle tissue. The extruded protein tissue is rapidly cooled, cut into small pieces and placed in a freeze dryer. It is freeze-dried at -35°C for 2 days to ensure that moisture is fully removed and the structure is stable. After freeze-drying, the protein blocks are crushed into fine powder and sieved through an 80-mesh sieve to obtain a protein powder with good fluidity and uniformity.

[0037] 5g of the aforementioned protein powder was weighed, and 0.04g of transglutaminase, 0.34g of curdlan gum, 0.012g of red yeast rice, and 14g of deionized water were added. The mixture was thoroughly mixed using a planetary mixer until the paste was homogeneous, fine, and free of lumps, with rheological properties suitable for 3D printing. The protein paste was then loaded into the barrel of a 3D printer and printed layer by layer according to the pre-set biomimetic steak structure. The printing speed was set at 25mm / s. Both the top and bottom layers were two layers, and the outer shell had two turns. The fiber orientation was flexibly adjusted based on product requirements to ensure the steak's cross-section exhibited an orderly layered biomimetic structure. The steak was then dehydrated at 65°C for 10 minutes using a microwave power of 600W. The finished artificial steak blank was then removed and immediately placed in a custom-made steak compression mold, where it was pressed at a constant mechanical pressure of 75N for 40 minutes. The compression process expelled some free water, while the protein fibers within were further aligned, significantly improving the texture and density.

[0038] The resulting artificial meat product, after demolding, exhibits a smooth appearance and uniform color. Its internal structure displays a multi-layered, directionally arranged muscle-like fiber structure, a dense cross-section, and excellent elasticity and chewiness. Physical and sensory analysis confirmed that the product exhibits excellent fiber feel, elasticity, moistness, and structural stability, with a bionic meat texture significantly superior to traditional single-protein extrusion or 3D-printed products. The entire process can be operated continuously and standardized, making it suitable for large-scale production. Careful attention must be paid to temperature and moisture management between each step of production to ensure the integrity of the protein structure and the quality of the finished product. Figure 1 It can be seen that the fiber content is the highest at 20%.

[0039] Comparative Example 1:

[0040] The operation is exactly the same as that in Example 3, except that soy protein isolate is used as the only protein raw material, and 1000 g of soy protein isolate is weighed.

[0041] Comparative Example 2:

[0042] The operation is exactly the same as that of Example 3, except that no dehydration treatment is performed after 3D printing.

[0043] Comparative Example 3:

[0044] The operation is exactly the same as that in Example 3, except that the mold compression treatment is not performed after dehydration.

[0045] like Figure 1As shown, the product of Comparative Example 1 exhibited a relatively uniform appearance and color, with a visible internal fiber structure. However, its overall density and fibrous feel were weaker than those of the yeast protein-soy protein composite example. The cross-section lacked a sense of layering, and the texture was slightly loose and less elastic when chewed. Sensory evaluation revealed that its fiber biomimetic degree, mouthfeel, and structural stability were all lower than those of the yeast protein-compounded artificial meat product, demonstrating that it is difficult to achieve the same rich and dense biomimetic fiber structure and excellent taste with a single soy protein raw material. Figure 2 It can be seen that the fiber content is highest when the yeast protein replacement ratio is 20%.

[0046] In the description of the present invention, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "specific embodiments," etc., mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with that embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In the present invention, schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0047] It should be understood that the above-mentioned specific embodiments of the present application are merely illustrative or explain the principles of the present application and do not constitute a limitation of the present application. Therefore, any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. In addition, the claims attached hereto are intended to cover all variations and modifications that fall within the scope and boundaries of the appended claims, or the equivalent forms of such scope and boundaries.

Claims

1. A method for preparing high-fiber artificial meat from a yeast protein and soy protein composite material, characterized in that: Here are the steps: Step (1), compounding yeast protein and soy protein in proportion to obtain a compound protein raw material; Step (2), subjecting the composite protein raw material to high-moisture extrusion texturization treatment using a twin-screw extruder to obtain a protein tissue with a fibrous structure; Step (3), cooling, freeze-drying and crushing the protein tissue with a fibrous structure to obtain protein powder; Step (4), mixing the protein powder with transglutaminase, curdlan, red yeast rice and water to prepare a paste for 3D printing; Step (5), using a 3D printing device to print and shape the paste according to a preset fiber direction and structure to obtain an artificial meat steak with a directional fiber structure; Step (6), performing a surface and interior rapid dehydration treatment on the 3D printed artificial meat steak to obtain a dehydrated artificial meat steak; Step (7): placing the printed artificial meat steak in a compression mold for mechanical compression, thereby enhancing the fiber density and layering through external dehydration and internal structural tightening to obtain a high-fiber artificial meat product.

2. The method for preparing high-fiber artificial meat from a yeast protein and soy protein composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step (1), yeast protein accounts for 5% to 40% of the mass of the composite protein raw material.

3. The method for preparing high-fiber artificial meat from a yeast protein and soy protein composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step (2), water needs to be added during the high-moisture extrusion texturization process, and the mass of water is 60-75% of the entire system of step (2).

4. The method for preparing high-fiber artificial meat from a yeast protein and soy protein composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step (2), the twin-screw extruder has seven continuous heating zones from the beginning to the end, the temperatures are gradually set to 55-65, 75-85, 85-95, 115-125, 125-135, 135-145 and 135-145°C, and the screw speed is 250-270rpm.

5. The method for preparing high-fiber artificial meat from a yeast protein and soy protein composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step (3), the freeze-drying treatment temperature is -35 to -25°C; and the freeze-drying treatment time is 2 to 3 days.

6. The method for preparing high-fiber artificial meat from a yeast protein and soy protein composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step (4), the protein powder, transglutaminase, curdlan, red yeast rice and water are mixed in a mass ratio of 5-10:0.04-0.08:0.34-0.54:0.012-0.024:14-25.

7. The method for preparing high-fiber artificial meat from a yeast protein and soy protein composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step (5), the printing speed is 20-30 mm / s, the number of top cover layers is 2-3, the number of bottom cover layers is 2-3, the number of outer shell circles is 2-3, and the fiber arrangement direction is adjustable.

8. The method for preparing high-fiber artificial meat from a yeast protein and soy protein composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step (6), the dehydration and drying temperature is set to 60-70°C, the time is 6-10 minutes, and the microwave power is 250-800W; the surface and internal rapid dehydration treatment methods are hot air blower dehydration of the surface and microwave dehydration of the internal.

9. The method for preparing high-fiber artificial meat from a yeast protein and soy protein composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step (7), the pressing pressure is 65-75N and the pressing time is 20-40 minutes.

10. Artificial meat prepared by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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