FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY
Meat substitutes using twin-screw extrusion
Texturising plant proteins to make meat substitutes using twin-screw extrusion has advanced rapidly in recent years and enabled food manufacturers to capitalise on the surge of interest in plant-based eating.
U
ntil recently, meat alternatives made
High moisture extruded TVP for meat substitutes
HMMA is widely used to make both
from texturised vegetable proteins
ingredients and finished products.
(TVP) were aimed squarely at
Ingredients for prepared dishes include
vegetarian and vegan consumers who avoid
mince, chunks and strips, typically for curries,
meat for ethical reasons. Shifting perceptions
pizza toppings, pasta dishes and soups.
mean that these products now appeal to
Completely meat-free products using HMMA
meat-eaters who are adopting plant-based
include burgers, sausages and meatballs.
eating for environmental and health reasons. market but also driven the development
LOW MOISTURE MEAT SUBSTITUTES
of much more realistic meat analogues:
Dry TVP uses similar
although this new generation of customers
protein sources to
account taste and flavour profile
want to reduce their consumption they are
HMMA but in the form
preferences as well as local
not willing to give up on the experience of
of lower-cost defatted
ingredient availability.
eating meat.
flours, rather than
This has not only expanded the size of the
Dry TVP produced by low-moisture
Baker Perkins anticipates continuous improvements in the
isolates or concentrates.
extrusion cooking (LMEC) has been used
The process is less
as a meat substitute or extender for many
intensive so outputs from a
years but does not offer meat eaters the firm,
given size of extruder are
fibrous texture they are looking for.
much higher.
Development of high moisture
commissioning. They take into
appearance, taste and texture of TVP from a range of different protein sources. Extruded TVP chicken pieces
The Baker Perkins SBX
Any protein source – seaweed, algae or insects for example - can potentially be turned into a meat analogue and this is the focus for future development.
extrusion cooking (HMEC) has addressed
Master twin-screw cooker extruder is used
this. It offers a much improved fibrous
to form a melt that is extruded through a die
consistency reproducing both the texture
and formed/cut into flakes, pellets or chunks
extruders to produce a wide range of foods
and appearance of meat. These high-
before being dried.
and ingredients for over 50 years. Today’s
Baker Perkins has marketed twin-screw
range of versatile SBX Master extruders
moisture meat analogues (HMMA) make
These are normally supplied as bulk dry
plant-based products such as burgers,
ingredients to manufacturers who rehydrate
provides continuous production at outputs
sausages and curries more convincing
them before incorporating into meat-
from 250 to 2,300kg/hour, depending on
while also enabling meat-free alternatives
free products such as burgers, sausages,
the product.
to fresh meat such as chicken strips or
meatballs and prepared dishes. They are also
beef chunks to be developed.
often used as extenders for real meat
HIGH MOISTURE MEAT ANALOGUES
TVP with a more fibrated structure and
consumer behaviour. However, the move
an improved texture, but still at a lower
to plant-based eating shows every sign
The key characteristic of HMMA is the fibrous
production cost than HMMA.
of accelerating as awareness of the
Baker Perkins is working to develop dry
Many dietary trends in recent years have been based on fashion rather than substantiated science or a real shift in
environmental impact of meat production
structure, which is achieved by developing the proteins in a twin-screw extruder then
RECIPE AND PROTEIN CHOICES
grows. Where once increasing disposable
stretching and aligning them in an extended
For both processes, Baker Perkins offers
income in developing countries inevitably
cooling die. Moisture content is in the region
standard recipes utilising a variety of
led to higher meat consumption this is no
of 60% to 70% by weight of the final product.
different proteins including soy, pea, wheat,
longer the case, for younger consumers in
beans, lentils and other pulses. They also
particular. Improving the quality, and variety
typically pea, soy and wheat gluten, but there
develop recipes for customers’ own chosen
of plant-based meat alternatives will be an
is a lot of interest in other bean and pulse
protein, with full support including initial
ongoing challenge and one that Baker Perkins
sources. Downstream processing such as
trials in the Baker Perkins Innovation
is gearing up to meet. •
mincing, mixing and forming can be done on
Centre at Peterborough in the UK, process
standard meat processing equipment.
development, manufacture and equipment
A range of protein ingredients may be used,
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 | FOOD REVIEW
Courlanders – www.courlanders.co.za
