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

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 pretreatments 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. Industrial relevance: This study suggests optimizing experimental design for complex mixtures and extrusion parameters along with implementing effective pre-processing techniques to overcome challenges associated with dry-fractionated plant protein concentrates for producing muscle-like meat analogs using high-moisture extrusion, thereby providing practical and scalable solutions for the food industry. Selected meat analogs exhibited unique muscle-like texture, showcasing their potential as emerging product innovations for industrial applications that meet consumer expectations for texture and sustainability.