While that method sufficed to make vegetarian granules and crumbles, it didn’t replicate the myofibril-lar texture of whole-muscle meat. Achieving that requires the spinning of proteins into textured vegeta-ble fibers. Processors usually begin with a solution of soy protein isolate (90% protein or more) ad-justed to a pH above 10. This generates electrostatic repulsions that cause the protein subunits to un-fold and dissociate. As this viscous mass passes under pressure through a die perforated with thou-sands of tiny holes, the protein molecules extend and align in parallel. Following exit from the die, these liquid filaments take a dip in an acid-salt bath whose isoelectric pH coagulates them into a muscle-like structure. Subsequent stretching, compressing and heating further adheres the fibers to one another, and results in a product that looks and feels more like “real” meat.
Soy protein manufacturers have improved upon these techniques with a new generation of textured soy proteins that replicate whole-muscle and ground meats. “These textured proteins are produced in many sizes, shapes, colors and flavors,” says Courtney Kingery, marketing and customer development manager, ADM Specialty Food Ingredients, Decatur, IL. “Unique textured protein products can be manufactured through the use of combinations of plant proteins or other powdered ingredients, such as various carbohydrate sources—starches or fibers, for example.”
The result is analogues with qualities more comparable to real meat. “We have products that form structures that are very meat-like, very fibrous—just like meat muscle fibers,” says Minhthy Nguyen, associate director of technology and innovation, Solae LLC, St. Louis. Such products have made it possible to produce vegetarian analogues that are similar to whole-muscle meat pieces. “You can ac-tually have meat-like shreds,” he says. “We’ve even produced things like crab cakes. That’s where the technology has really made great progress. These proteins are quite a leap from the previous genera-tion.”
Sometimes, size factors into the equation. One extruded soy protein yields a “larger, more meat-like size that enables food designers to offer a protein-complete meat replacement that more closely matches meat’s natural fibrous structure, texture and chewing properties,” says Werner Barbosa, meat and convenience category marketing manager, Cargill Texturizing Solutions, Wayzata, MN. At 50% protein, the product typically absorbs 2.5 to 3.5 parts water to 1 part textured ingredient, and finds widespread use “as a protein replacement for poultry, beef, pork and tuna in soups, stir-fry entrées, meat fillings, pizza toppings and prepared meals,” he says. Five minutes in boiling water provides good hydration, and he says the product has “excellent freeze/thaw and retort stability.”
With textured soy proteins like these, who needs meat?