Preparation method of high-organizational high-antioxidant plant meat regulated by polyphenol

Abstract

The application discloses a preparation method of high-organization and high-antioxidation plant meat regulated by polyphenols. The method takes soybean protein isolate and gluten as protein base material, and selects corresponding polyphenols according to the sensory characteristics of different meats, i.e. quercetin or procyanidin for red meat, gallic acid for fish meat, and ferulic acid or tea polyphenol for poultry meat. The high-water extrusion process parameters and the polyphenol addition amount are adjusted accordingly. Through the synergistic effect of polyphenol types and process conditions, the polyphenol-protein interaction is used to regulate the fiber structure, texture characteristics and color of the extrudate, so that the product presents red-brown, light gray-white and light yellow characteristic colors, realizes high organization, and significantly improves the antioxidant performance. The application realizes the differentiated production of 'one method for multiple uses', does not need to add artificial pigment, the process is flexible and controllable, and can meet the industrial manufacturing needs of various plant meat products.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of plant-based meat processing technology, specifically relating to a method for preparing highly textured, high-antioxidant plant-based meat regulated by polyphenols. This method allows the product to exhibit the typical color, fiber structure, and textural characteristics of beef / pork (red meat), fish, and chicken, achieving multi-variety coverage from red meat to white meat and meeting consumers' dual needs for taste and nutrition in plant-based foods. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous growth of the global population and the constant improvement of living standards, the demand for meat consumption is showing a rigid upward trend. However, traditional livestock and poultry farming faces severe challenges such as high resource consumption, large greenhouse gas emissions, and significant pressure on land and water use. According to statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, livestock farming contributes nearly 15% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, while consuming large amounts of feed grains and freshwater resources. Meanwhile, excessive consumption of animal meat products high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and hormone residues has been proven to be closely related to the development of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer. Furthermore, animal welfare issues arising from intensive farming are increasingly attracting public attention. Against this backdrop, developing nutritionally balanced, environmentally friendly, ethically compliant plant-based protein meat products with excellent antioxidant activity has become an important direction for building a sustainable food system. Plant-based meat can not only significantly reduce carbon and water footprints, but also provide high-quality plant protein, dietary fiber, and various bioactive components through scientific formulation, meeting consumers' multiple demands for health, taste, and ethics. Crucially, plant-based meat, through scientific formulation, can endow products with endogenous antioxidant activity. While inhibiting lipid oxidation and reducing the formation of harmful aldehydes during processing and transportation, it provides the body with exogenous antioxidant defense support—an added health value that traditional animal meat products struggle to achieve. For this reason, plant-based meat has transcended its initial positioning as a "substitute," comprehensively responding to the core tenets of a holistic food philosophy across three dimensions: nutritional supply, health intervention, and resource ethics. It embodies a profound transformation from a food system centered on animal protein to one based on plant protein.

[0003] High-moisture extrusion technology is currently the core processing method for producing plant-based meat with a fibrous structure. This technology involves melting plant protein raw materials under high temperature, high shear, and high pressure conditions, causing the protein molecules to fully extend and rearrange in a directional manner. Subsequently, the material solidifies at the mold exit due to a sudden pressure drop and cooling, forming a fibrous tissue structure similar to real animal muscle. Compared to traditional low-moisture extrusion, high-moisture extrusion eliminates the need for a subsequent rehydration step, resulting in a product with a suitable moisture content and tender texture, more closely resembling fresh meat. Therefore, it is widely considered the mainstream technology for producing high-quality plant-based meat.

[0004] Soy protein isolate and wheat gluten are representative components of soy and wheat proteins, respectively. When combined, their complementary amino acids and synergistic processing properties make them the most commonly used protein base for high-moisture extruded plant-based meat. However, this unmodified composite system often exhibits low texturization under high-moisture extrusion conditions, resulting in discontinuous fiber structures and poor anisotropy in the extrudate. This leads to significant differences in hardness, elasticity, and chewiness compared to real meat, failing to meet consumer expectations for the texture of plant-based meat. Furthermore, plant proteins are prone to lipid oxidation, which can produce unpleasant flavors during processing and storage, and the products lack sufficient antioxidant capacity. Additionally, real meats have distinct color characteristics: red meat is deep red to dark brown, fish is light gray to grayish-white, and chicken is light yellow to milky white. Existing plant-based meat products cannot simultaneously mimic the colors of different meats using a single formula, typically requiring the addition of artificial or natural pigments. The issue of added pigments faces a dual challenge: on the one hand, the safety of synthetic pigments has long been controversial, with their metabolic burden and potential allergenicity not to be ignored, contradicting the healthy alternative positioning of plant-based meat; on the other hand, even when natural pigments are used, their poor photothermal stability and tendency to fade often force companies to increase the amount added or to formulate chemical color-protecting agents, thus causing the product to deviate from the original health intention of the "clean label." This contradiction indicates that simply relying on added pigments cannot fundamentally solve the problem of color simulation in plant-based meat, and there is an urgent need to develop in-situ coloring strategies based on the natural interaction between proteins and pigments to achieve a balance between color, safety, and ingredient simplicity. Against this backdrop, polyphenolic compounds, with their natural properties, excellent antioxidant activity, and good affinity with proteins, are expected to play a unique role in the synergistic regulation of in-situ coloring and protein quality.

[0005] Polyphenols are natural antioxidants with excellent free radical scavenging and metal chelating abilities. Their molecular structure contains multiple phenolic hydroxyl groups, enabling them to bind to proteins through hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions, and covalent cross-linking under certain conditions. This interaction can induce conformational changes in proteins, enhancing the orderliness of the protein melt, thereby promoting the formation and stabilization of fibrous structures during extrusion, ultimately improving the texturization of plant-based meat. However, different polyphenols vary in molecular weight, number and position of phenolic hydroxyl groups, hydrophobicity, and other structural characteristics, resulting in different binding modes and strengths with proteins, thus affecting their texturization regulation. Meanwhile, polyphenols themselves exhibit a rich variety of natural colors: quercetin is yellow to brownish-yellow, proanthocyanidins are reddish-brown to purplish-brown, gallic acid is light gray to white, ferulic acid is light yellow to white, and tea polyphenols are light yellow to brownish-yellow. Polyphenols possess both color diversity and protein modification functions. This "color and effect homology" characteristic can be leveraged to select appropriate polyphenols for the color and texture requirements of different meats, simultaneously achieving in-situ coloring and fiber enhancement, thus laying a theoretical and applied foundation for the development of various plant-based meat products.

[0006] Based on the aforementioned characteristics of polyphenols, this invention innovatively proposes a strategy of synergistic control of polyphenol type screening and high-moisture extrusion process parameters. Specifically, it involves selecting suitable polyphenol components and dosages according to the color and texture requirements of the target meat product, and systematically coupling these with key process parameters such as extrusion temperature, moisture content, screw speed, and cooling die length. This fully leverages the combined functions of polyphenols in antioxidant enhancement, ordered fiber structure construction, and in-situ color retention. Accordingly, plant-based meat products corresponding to beef / pork (red meat), fish, and chicken are prepared, exhibiting characteristic colors of deep yellow / reddish-brown, light gray-white, and light yellow, respectively, while also possessing a highly anisotropic fibrous tissue structure and excellent oxidative stability. This invention achieves the triple goals of color simulation, texture realism, and antioxidant enhancement simultaneously by utilizing the synergistic effect of polyphenols and high-moisture extrusion technology without the need for added artificial coloring. It satisfies consumers' diverse demands for different types of plant-based meat in terms of sensory quality, nutritional function, and storage performance, and aligns with the multidimensional considerations of health, environment, and ethics in sustainable food systems. It provides a theoretical basis and technical paradigm for the expansion of high-moisture extrusion technology from a single product form to the precise manufacturing of multiple categories. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for preparing highly textured and antioxidant plant-based meat regulated by polyphenols. This method selects polyphenols with different structural characteristics (quercetin, proanthocyanidins, gallic acid, ferulic acid, and tea polyphenols) and coordinates them with high-moisture extrusion technology (extrusion temperature, moisture content, screw speed, and polyphenol dosage) to impart to the plant protein extruded products natural colors, highly developed fibrous tissue structures, and excellent oxidative stability comparable to red meat (beef / pork), fish, and poultry (chicken). Therefore, this invention achieves precise quality control for multiple types of plant-based meat through a polyphenol-coordinated high-moisture extrusion process, taking into account taste, nutrition, and storage performance, providing a universally applicable and specific solution for the sustainable plant-based food industry.

[0008] A method for preparing polyphenol-regulated, highly textured, and highly antioxidant plant-based meat, characterized by: using a mixture of soy protein isolate and wheat gluten as the protein base; selecting matching polyphenol types and amounts, as well as high-moisture extrusion process parameters, based on the sensory system of the target product (including red meat, fish, and poultry); and preparing plant-based meat products with corresponding natural color, high texture, and high antioxidant activity. The method includes the following steps:

[0009] Step 1: Weigh soy protein isolate and gluten powder in a fixed ratio, add different types of polyphenols, and mix thoroughly with a high-speed mixer to obtain the initial raw material mixture.

[0010] Step 2: Add the raw material mixture into the feeder of the high moisture extruder, set the feed rate and moisture content, preheat in the melting zone after material setting, set the screw speed, heating zone temperature and die temperature and then extrude. The material extruded in the heating zone is shaped through the die to obtain soybean protein-polyphenol extrudate.

[0011] Step 3 involves vacuum sealing the extrudate and then cooling it with circulating water to obtain a highly textured and antioxidant plant-based meat product. The resulting product is then compared with real meat in terms of texture and degree of texture.

[0012] Furthermore, in step 1, the amount of soy protein isolate added is 50-70%, the amount of wheat gluten added is 30-50%, and the amount of polyphenols added is 0.5-2.5% of the total mass of the protein base.

[0013] Furthermore, in step 2, the feed rate is 1.5-3.0 kg / h, the moisture content is 55-65%, and the screw speed is 200-400 r / min.

[0014] Furthermore, in step 2, the heating zone temperatures are: Zone 1 30-60 ℃, Zone 2 60-90 ℃, Zone 3 90-120 ℃, Zone 4 120-140 ℃, Zone 5 120-140 ℃, and the mold temperature is 100-120 ℃.

[0015] Furthermore, in step 2, the material extruded in the heating zone is shaped through a mold with a length of 500-1100 mm to obtain soybean protein-polyphenol extrudate.

[0016] Furthermore, in step 3, after vacuum packaging the extrudate, it is immersed in circulating cooling water at 2-10 ℃ to rapidly cool it to the core temperature of the product at 18-22 ℃, thereby obtaining a highly textured and antioxidant plant-based meat product. The resulting product is then compared with real meat in terms of texture and degree of texture.

[0017] A method for preparing polyphenol-regulated, highly textured, and highly antioxidant plant-based meat, wherein the highly textured and highly antioxidant plant-based meat product is prepared using the above method. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 A macroscopic comparison chart of different high-moisture extruded soy protein-polyphenol plant-based meat products.

[0019] Figure 2 A comparison chart showing the antioxidant properties of different high-moisture extruded soy protein-polyphenol plant-based meat products. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Instance method

[0021] A method for preparing polyphenol-regulated, highly textured, and antioxidant plant-based meat, the method mainly includes the following steps:

[0022] Select commercially available soy protein isolate with a protein content of over 80% and mix it with 50-70% wheat gluten and 30-50% of soy protein. Add polyphenols at a ratio of 0.5-2.5% of the total mass of the protein base. Mix thoroughly with a high-speed mixer to obtain the initial raw material mixture.

[0023] The raw material mixture is added to the feeder of a high-moisture extruder, with a feed rate of 1.5-3.0 kg / h, a moisture content of 55-65%, and a screw speed of 200-400 r / min. After the material is settled, it is preheated in the melting zone. The heating zone temperatures are set as follows: Zone 1 30-60℃, Zone 2 60-90℃, Zone 3 90-120℃, Zone 4 120-140℃, Zone 5 120-140℃, and the die temperature 100-120℃. The material is extruded at the heating temperature. The material extruded in the heating zone is formed through a die with a length of 500-1100 mm to obtain soybean protein-polyphenol extrudate.

[0024] After vacuum sealing the extrudate, it is immersed in circulating cooling water at 2-10 ℃ and rapidly cooled to a core temperature of 18-22 ℃ to obtain a highly textured and antioxidant plant-based meat product. The resulting product is then compared with real meat in terms of texture and degree of texture.

[0025] Example 1

[0026] Commercially available soy protein isolate with a protein content of over 80% and wheat gluten were mixed in a 7:3 ratio, and 2.5% quercetin (by weight of the total protein base) was added. The mixture was thoroughly mixed using a high-speed mixer to obtain the initial raw material mixture.

[0027] The raw material mixture is added to the feeder of a high-moisture extruder, with a feed rate of 2 kg / h, a moisture content of 60%, and a screw speed of 350 r / min. After the material is settled, it is preheated in the melting zone. The heating zone temperatures are set as follows: Zone 1 60 ℃, Zone 2 90 ℃, Zone 3 120 ℃, Zone 4 140 ℃, and Zone 5 140 ℃. The die temperature is 120 ℃. The material is extruded at the heating temperature. The material extruded in the heating zone is formed through a die with a length of 800 mm to obtain soybean protein-polyphenol extrudate.

[0028] After vacuum sealing the extrudate, it is immersed in 10°C circulating cooling water for rapid cooling until the product's core temperature reaches 20°C, resulting in a highly textured, highly antioxidant plant-based meat product.

[0029] Example 2

[0030] Commercially available soy protein isolate with a protein content of over 80% and wheat gluten are mixed in a 5:5 ratio, and 0.5% gallic acid (based on the total mass of the protein base) is added. The mixture is then thoroughly mixed using a high-speed mixer to obtain the initial raw material mixture.

[0031] The raw material mixture is fed into the feeder of a high-moisture extruder, with a feed rate of 1.6 kg / h, a moisture content of 65%, and a screw speed of 200 r / min. After the material is settled, it is preheated in the melting zone. The heating zone temperatures are set as follows: Zone 1 30 ℃, Zone 2 60 ℃, Zone 3 90 ℃, Zone 4 120 ℃, and Zone 5 120 ℃. The die temperature is 100 ℃. After heating, the material is extruded. The material extruded in the heating zone is shaped through a die with a length of 500 mm to obtain soybean protein-polyphenol extrudate.

[0032] After vacuum sealing the extrudate, it is immersed in 10°C circulating cooling water for rapid cooling until the product's core temperature reaches 20°C, resulting in a highly textured, highly antioxidant plant-based meat product.

[0033] Example 3

[0034] Take commercially available soy protein isolate with a protein content of over 80% and wheat gluten, mix them in a 6:4 ratio, and add 1.5% ferulic acid by weight of the total protein base. Mix thoroughly with a high-speed mixer to obtain the initial raw material mixture.

[0035] The raw material mixture is fed into the feeder of a high-moisture extruder, with a feed rate of 1.8 kg / h, a moisture content of 63%, and a screw speed of 280 r / min. After the material is settled, it is preheated in the melting zone. The heating zone temperatures are set as follows: Zone 1 40 ℃, Zone 2 70 ℃, Zone 3 100 ℃, Zone 4 130 ℃, Zone 5 130 ℃, and the die temperature is 110 ℃. After heating, the material is extruded. The material extruded in the heating zone is shaped through a die with a length of 700 mm to obtain soybean protein-polyphenol extrudate.

[0036] After vacuum sealing the extrudate, it is immersed in 10°C circulating cooling water for rapid cooling until the product's core temperature reaches 20°C, resulting in a highly textured, highly antioxidant plant-based meat product.

[0037] Example 4

[0038] Commercially available soy protein isolate with a protein content of over 80% and gluten powder were mixed in a 6:4 ratio, and 2% of tea polyphenols (based on the total mass of the protein base) were added. The mixture was thoroughly mixed using a high-speed mixer to obtain the initial raw material mixture.

[0039] The raw material mixture is fed into the feeder of a high-moisture extruder, with a feed rate of 2.2 kg / h, a moisture content of 58%, and a screw speed of 280 r / min. After the material is settled, it is preheated in the melting zone. The heating zone temperatures are set as follows: Zone 1 45 ℃, Zone 2 75 ℃, Zone 3 105 ℃, Zone 4 135 ℃, and Zone 5 135 ℃. The die temperature is 115 ℃. After heating, the material is extruded. The material extruded in the heating zone is shaped through a die with a length of 700 mm to obtain soybean protein-polyphenol extrudate.

[0040] After vacuum sealing the extrudate, it is immersed in 10°C circulating cooling water for rapid cooling until the product's core temperature reaches 20°C, resulting in a highly textured, highly antioxidant plant-based meat product.

[0041] Example 5

[0042] Commercially available soy protein isolate with a protein content of over 80% and gluten powder were mixed in a 7:3 ratio, and 1% of proanthocyanidins by weight of the total protein base were added. The mixture was thoroughly mixed using a high-speed mixer to obtain the initial raw material mixture.

[0043] The raw material mixture is added to the feeder of a high-moisture extruder, with a feed rate set at 2.5 kg / h and a moisture content of 55%. After the material is settled, it is preheated in the melting zone. The heating zone temperatures are set as follows: Zone 1 60 ℃, Zone 2 80 ℃, Zone 3 110 ℃, Zone 4 140 ℃, and Zone 5 140 ℃. The die temperature is 120 ℃. After heating, the material is extruded. The material extruded in the heating zone is shaped through a die with a length of 1100 mm to obtain soybean protein-polyphenol extrudate.

[0044] After vacuum sealing the extrudate, it is immersed in 10°C circulating cooling water for rapid cooling until the product's core temperature reaches 20°C, resulting in a highly textured, highly antioxidant plant-based meat product.

[0045] Comparative Example

[0046] Soy protein isolate with a protein content of over 80% and wheat gluten were selected and mixed in a 5:5 ratio. The mixture was thoroughly mixed using a high-speed mixer to obtain the initial raw material mixture.

[0047] The raw material mixture is added to the feeder of a high-moisture extruder, with a feed rate of 2 kg / h, a moisture content of 60%, and a screw speed of 300 r / min. After the material is settled, it is preheated in the melting zone. The heating zone temperatures are set as follows: Zone 1 40 ℃, Zone 2 70 ℃, Zone 3 100 ℃, Zone 4 130 ℃, Zone 5 130 ℃, and the die temperature is 110 ℃. After heating, the material is extruded. The material extruded in the heating zone is shaped through a die with a length of 800 mm to obtain soybean protein-polyphenol plant meat.

[0048] After vacuum sealing the extrudate, it is immersed in 10°C circulating cooling water for rapid cooling until the product's core temperature reaches 20°C, resulting in a highly textured, highly antioxidant plant-based meat product.

[0049] This invention collected textural profile analysis data of cooked pork, fish, chicken, and beef to clarify the inherent texture characteristic ranges of different meats, thereby providing a reference for the textural characteristics and degree of organization of the ready-to-eat plant-based meat prepared in each embodiment.

[0050] Fresh high-moisture extruded soybean protein-polyphenol plant-based meat products prepared in Examples 1-5 and the comparative example were cut into 15×15×15 mm cubes. The texture, hardness, elasticity and chewiness of the samples were measured using a texture analyzer. The experiment used A / MORS and P / 36R probes, and each sample was measured 5 times.

[0051] Table 1 Results of Texture Index Measurement

[0052] Table 1. Texture properties of different high-moisture extruded soy protein-polyphenol plant-based meat products

[0053] As shown in Table 1, the texture degree of the quercetin group was 1.67 (Example 1), while that of commercially available pork was 1.65, showing no significant difference. The texture degree of the ferulic acid group was 1.97 (Example 3), while that of chicken was 1.99, indicating similar texture degrees. The texture degree of the tea polyphenol group was 1.98 (Example 4), close to the texture characteristics of chicken. The texture degree of the gallic acid group was 1.55 (Example 2), and that of the proanthocyanidins group was 1.88 (Example 5), successfully exhibiting the unique texture characteristics of fish (texture degree 1.56) and beef (texture degree 1.87), respectively. Furthermore, the hardness, elasticity, and chewiness of Examples 1-5 also showed the same trend as real meat, closely resembling its texture.

[0054] Macroscopic structural observation and antioxidant activity determination were performed on the high-moisture extruded soybean protein-polyphenol plant-based meat products prepared in Examples 1-5 and the comparative examples of this invention. The results are as follows: Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown.

[0055] like Figure 1 As shown, compared to the comparative examples, the fibrous structures in Examples 1-5 exhibit more pronounced filamentous fibers, with a greater number of filamentous and sheet-like structures observable. Furthermore, the different examples share similar colors and fibrous structures with different real meats. This is because the naturally occurring color of polyphenols can mimic the color of meat, and the hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions between polyphenols and proteins promote the formation of protein network structures, thereby enhancing the fibrous structure and improving the product's taste and texture.

[0056] like Figure 2 As shown, compared with the comparative example, the high-moisture extruded soybean protein-polyphenol plant-based meat products prepared in Examples 1-5 all exhibited a DPPH free radical scavenging rate of over 82%. This is because polyphenols have the antioxidant capacity to scavenge free radicals, which not only improves the fiber structure of the plant-based meat products but also endows the products with high antioxidant function.

[0057] This invention, through the regulation of different polyphenols and an optimized high-moisture extrusion process, successfully prepared a variety of plant-based meat products that match the characteristics of pork, fish, chicken, and beef in terms of texture indicators such as texture, hardness, elasticity, and chewiness. At the same time, the invented products also have high antioxidant activity, providing a complete technical solution for the industrial production of multi-category, high-quality, and functional plant-based meat, and strongly supporting the industrial upgrading of plant-based foods from "morphological simulation" to "intrinsic realization".

Claims

1. A method for preparing polyphenol-regulated, highly textured, and highly antioxidant plant-based meat, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: Step 1: Weigh out soy protein isolate and wheat gluten in a fixed ratio, add different types of polyphenols, and mix thoroughly using a high-speed mixer to obtain the initial raw material mixture; Step 2: Add the raw material mixture into the feeder of the high moisture extruder, set the feed rate and moisture content, preheat in the melting zone after setting the material, set the screw speed, heating zone temperature and die temperature and then extrude. The material extruded in the heating zone is formed in the die zone to obtain soybean protein-polyphenol extrudate. Step 3: After vacuum sealing the extrudate, it is cooled by circulating water to obtain a highly textured and antioxidant plant-based meat product. The resulting product is then compared with real meat in terms of texture and degree of texture.

2. The method for preparing polyphenol-regulated, highly textured, and highly antioxidant plant-based meat according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step one, the soy protein isolate and wheat gluten are selected with a protein content of over 80%.

3. The method for preparing polyphenol-regulated, highly textured, and highly antioxidant plant-based meat according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step one, the amount of polyphenols added is 0.5-2.5% of the total mass of the protein base, the amount of soy protein isolate added is 50-70%, and the amount of gluten added is 30-50%. The mixture is thoroughly mixed using a high-speed mixer to obtain the initial raw material mixture.

4. The method for preparing polyphenol-regulated, highly textured, and highly antioxidant plant-based meat according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step two, the feeding speed is 1.5-3.0 kg / h, the moisture content is 55-65%, the screw speed is 200-400 r / min, and the heating zone temperatures during the extrusion process are: Zone 1 30-60 ℃, Zone 2 60-90 ℃, Zone 3 90-120 ℃, Zone 4 120-140 ℃, Zone 5 120-140 ℃, and the die temperature is 100-120 ℃.

5. The method for preparing polyphenol-regulated, highly textured, and highly antioxidant plant-based meat according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step two, the material extruded in the heating zone is shaped through a mold with a length of 500-1100 mm.

6. The method for preparing polyphenol-regulated, highly textured, and highly antioxidant plant-based meat according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step three, the extrudate is vacuum-sealed and then immersed in circulating cooling water at 2-10 ℃ for rapid cooling until the core temperature of the product is 18-22 ℃, resulting in a highly textured, highly antioxidant plant-based meat product.

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