High-moisture meat analogs produced from dry-fractionated Faba bean, yellow pea, and functional soy proteins: Effects of mixture design and extrusion parameters on texture properties

Abstract

This study, using an augmented simplex centroid design (ASC-DoE), assessed how varying ingredient proportions and extrusion parameters affected the texture of high-moisture meat analogs (HMMAs), exploring faba bean (FB) and yellow pea (YP) dry-fractionated protein concentrates as sustainable alternatives, alone or mixed with functional wet-fractionated soybean protein concentrate (SB) for muscle-like texture. Results showed that pre-treatments enhanced functionality and flowability of FB and YP. Hardness, chewiness, and cutting strength were significantly influenced by total target moisture content (TMC), while screw speed was insignificant. Higher melting temperatures improved FB texture but softened YP. Springiness was minimally influenced by TMC and screw speed but significantly affected by material composition. Higher protein content and melting temperature promoted longitudinal fiber alignment, essential for meat-like textures. Substituting SB with FB and YP replicated HMMA textures, but color matching remained challenging. These findings establish the synergy between protein combinations and the optimization of extrusion process to meet the need for functional, sustainable plant proteins.