Location: Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research
Project Number: 6054-43440-053-001-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2022
End Date: Sep 1, 2027
Objective:
1. Cooperator will determine the optimum extrusion operating parameters and physical properties of high-moisture meat analogues made from alternative proteins (pulse protein isolates).
2. To determine the relationship between the chemistry of raw materials and processing parameters that result in high-moisture meat analogues with consistent quality that are of similar quality to products made from soy.
Approach:
The ARS researchers will isolate and provide pulse proteins to Washington State University in order to evaluate the influence of extrusion processing parameters on texturizing abilities of the selected pulse protein isolates. ARS researchers will determine the biochemical characteristics of the raw materials (intact seeds) and proteins isolates before and after extrusion.
Washington State University will vary extrusion processing parameters that affect mechanical and thermal energy input to the protein material. These parameters include material feed rate, feed moisture, screw speed, screw configuration, and die dimensions. The extent of texturization and the potential protein modifications in samples produced under different mechanical energies will be analyzed using physicochemical analyses, confocal and scanning electron microscopy, and rheological techniques. The resulting quality data will be used in combination with protein chemistry of the raw seeds and isolated proteins to identify pulse varieties that will result in consistently high quality high-moisture meat analogues. Data will also be used to determine the chemical properties resulting from texturization. Yield and extrusion energy inputs will be used to help determine efficacy of the developed processes.
