Scientists have developed a way to significantly improve the texture of plant-based foods, potentially changing the trajectory of the global meat industry, according to a recent study.
This research Nature Communicationsis a leading open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal.
Studies show that the meat industry puts a huge burden on the environment on a daily basis, and alone is responsible for more than half of food-related carbon emissions.
As a result, the popularity of plant-based meat alternatives has increased in recent years. However, such alternatives still have certain drawbacks, causing people to continue to choose meat options. One of these drawbacks is the texture of such foods.
“Despite its importance, a major barrier to the adoption of plant proteins is their astringent discomfort, usually associated with high friction and consequent poor lubricating performance,” the study authors said. writes.
What can be done to improve the texture of plant proteins?
To do this, they turned the plant protein into a plant protein microgel. Only one additional ingredient is required for this process. it’s water.
The release describing the study cites several study authors who described their findings.
One of the study’s authors, Anwesha Sarkar, explains what they have achieved: “What we did was use the plant protein to form a water-retaining spider-like web around the plant protein, converting the dry plant protein into a hydrated protein.”
This process of turning plant proteins into plant protein microgels occurs by heating plant proteins, which are initially dry and have a rough texture, in water, and the molecular structure of plant proteins retains water around the protein itself. It turns into a gel that
Foods made with this microgel have a moist, fatty texture that is more meat-like and preferred over non-microgelated vegetable proteins.
Ben Kew, another author of the study, said: It is surprising, and we have reported for the first time, that microgels mimic the lubricity of 20% fat emulsions without adding a single drop of fat. ”