Crosslinked Plant Protein Composition for Meat-Like Flavor and Texture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing meat substitutes lack the taste and texture of meat, failing to replicate the flavor and mouthfeel of real meat.
Innovation Solution
A meat-like plant protein composition is created by crosslinking a plant protein-derived peptide through hydrolysis and crosslinking, combined with sugar, amino acids, and additional plant proteins, and optionally enhanced with fats, oils, and gelling agents like methylcellulose and agar, followed by heating to induce a Maillard reaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional plant protein products are used as meat substitutes, then the basic protein content is sufficient, but the taste and texture fail to replicate real meat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-crosslinking plant proteins with transglutaminase before final product assembly. This pre-treatment creates a gel network structure that locks in moisture and enhances texture, allowing the meat substitute to achieve authentic meat-like bite and juiciness without requiring complex processing during final product preparation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by controlling the degree of crosslinking through adjusted enzyme concentration, reaction time, and temperature. By optimizing these parameters, the invention achieves the desired balance between protein gel strength (for texture) and moisture retention (for juiciness), transforming ordinary plant protein into a product with authentic meat characteristics
2Reliability
If plant proteins are hydrolyzed and crosslinked to improve flavor, then taste quality improves, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single crosslinking step: protein structural modification for texture, moisture binding for juiciness, and flavor enhancement through controlled hydrolysis. This consolidation reduces the need for separate processing steps and simplifies the overall manufacturing workflow while achieving superior taste quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses transglutaminase as an intermediary enzyme that facilitates controlled hydrolysis and crosslinking of plant proteins. This enzymatic mediator selectively modifies protein structures to enhance flavor and texture without requiring harsh chemical treatments or multiple processing steps, thereby improving taste quality while maintaining process simplicity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resulting composition achieves a meat-like flavor and texture, suitable for various food products, including minced meat, hamburgers, and grilled meats, providing a plant-based alternative with improved sensory qualities.
Implementation Method 1
a plant protein-derived peptide obtained by hydrolyzing a plant protein
Implementation Method 2
crosslinking the peptide to obtain a crosslinked peptide
Implementation Method 3
mixing and heating the crosslinked peptide, sugar, and amino acid in advance
Data Source
AI summary
A novel meat-like plant protein composition that can be used as fake meat (meat substitute) is developed. The plant protein composition is prepared by hydrolyzing a plant protein to prepare a peptide, crosslinking the peptide to obtain a crosslinked peptide, and mixing the crosslinked peptide with sugar, amino acid, and a second plant protein. Moreover, it is preferable to prepare the plant protein composition by mixing and heating the crosslinked peptide, sugar, and amino acid in advance, and then mixing the resulting mixture with a second plant protein. Further, it is preferable to further mix fat or oil, or fatty acid, in the plant protein composition.