Textured Vegetable Protein Meat Alternative Texture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing meat-like foodstuffs often result in unnatural textures and poor flavor permeation, especially when processed into shapes like steaks or cubes, and differ in appearance from natural meat, leading to a discordant eating experience.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the coagulation of a mixture containing hydrated and split textured vegetable proteins, with specific starch content and fiber dimensions, along with a binder, to create a meat-like foodstuff that mimics the texture and appearance of natural meat, using a combination of first and second textured vegetable proteins and a binder that forms a heat-reversible gel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional methods use aggregated vegetable proteins with large particle sizes (10-30 mm) to create meat-like foodstuff, then the texture can resemble natural meat when chewing, but the appearance differs from natural meat and produces a discordant eating experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the vegetable protein into two distinct size fractions: fine particles (1-5 mm) and coarse particles (10-30 mm). This segmentation allows the fine particles to fill gaps and create a uniform appearance resembling natural meat, while the coarse particles provide the fibrous texture characteristic of meat when chewed.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the foodstuff have different protein particle compositions. The fine vegetable protein particles are distributed throughout to provide uniform appearance and fill voids, while coarse particles are strategically positioned to provide texture. This local differentiation of particle quality resolves the contradiction between appearance and texture.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional methods use large aggregates of vegetable proteins, then the structure provides body and form, but the flavor permeation is poor and the texture becomes unnatural and rubber-like
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the vegetable protein into fine and coarse fractions, the patent creates a multi-scale structure where fine particles fill interstices between coarse particles. This segmentation prevents the formation of large rubber-like aggregates while maintaining structural integrity through the hierarchical arrangement of particles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining fine vegetable protein particles, coarse vegetable protein particles, and binder in specific proportions (60-90 wt% fine, 10-40 wt% coarse). This composite structure achieves both structural integrity and natural texture by preventing phase separation and rubber-like behavior that occurs in homogeneous aggregates.
3Volume of moving object
If the meat-like foodstuff is processed into large shapes (steak or cutlet with thickness of 15 mm or more), then it can be used as meat alternative, but the texture becomes unnatural with strong resiliency and the flavor permeation remains poor
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented particle structure (fine 1-5 mm and coarse 10-30 mm particles) creates a hierarchical pore network that allows flavor penetration even in large 15 mm thick products. The fine particles fill voids and create capillary channels that facilitate uniform flavor distribution throughout the bulk material.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of fine and coarse particles creates a porous structure with controlled void spaces. This porous architecture maintains structural integrity for large meat alternatives while enabling flavor permeation through the capillary action in the pore network, preventing the rubber-like texture that occurs in dense homogeneous structures.
4Device complexity
If conventional methods use single type of textured vegetable protein, then the production process is simple, but the texture lacks the natural fibrous sensation and resiliency of real meat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single protein source into two particle size fractions that can be produced using standard extrusion equipment. This segmentation is achieved by adjusting extrusion parameters (screw speed, temperature, die geometry) rather than requiring completely separate production lines, thus maintaining reasonable process simplicity while achieving natural texture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes in the extrusion process (temperature, pressure, screw speed, moisture content) to produce vegetable protein with controlled particle size distribution. By optimizing these parameters, the process generates the desired bimodal particle structure (fine and coarse fractions) that provides natural meat-like texture without requiring complex multi-step processing.
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 method produces a meat-like foodstuff with a texture similar to natural meat, even in large shapes, and ensures uniform flavor permeation, providing a natural and fibrous sensation while resembling natural meat in appearance.
Implementation Method 1
a binder that forms a heat-reversible gel
Implementation Method 2
heat-reversible gel
Implementation Method 3
coagulating by heating a raw-material mixture
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
The objective of the present invention is to provide a meat-like foodstuff that can provide a natural meat-like texture experienced when chewing and is also similar in appearance to natural meat. A meat-like foodstuff that can achieve the above objective can be obtained by molding a raw-material mixture to produce a molded product and then coagulating the product by heating. The raw-material mixture comprises: a first hydrated and split textured vegetable protein obtained by hydrating and splitting a first textured vegetable protein having been textured by extruder treatment so as to contain a vegetable protein and 0.17 to 0.76 parts by mass of starch with respect to 1 part by mass of the vegetable protein; a hydrated and split second textured vegetable protein obtained by hydrating and splitting a second textured vegetable protein having been textured by extruder treatment so as to contain a vegetable protein and 0.03 to 0.15 parts by mass of starch with respect to 1 part by mass of the vegetable protein; and a binder.