High moisture extrusion cooking on soy proteins: Importance influence of gums on promoting the fiber formation for improved texture and sensory quality

Abstract: Texture and sensory quality are important for meat analogue products. The addition of gums in the protein matrices may provide a strategy to improve the fibrous structure by high moisture extrusion, to well mimic the texture and sensory properties of real meat. Three food gums, iota carrageenan (ICGN), carboxymethylcellulose sodium (CMC) and sodium alginate (SA), were investigated for their effects on promoting the fiber formation of extrudates. Results obtained indicated that lamellar structures were formed at the cooling zone for samples containing 6% CMC and 6% SA. The addition of 6% SA enhanced the quality of extrudates, such as improved rehydration rate and digestion rate. Furthermore, interactions between protein molecules over the extrusion process were also analyzed, and the importance of the type of molecular bonds responsible for the formation of extrudates was determined to be: disulfide bonds ≥ hydrogen interactions > hydrophobic interactions. Results of this work would be of importance in the design of meat analogs using soy protein for improved texture and sensory quality, and more important, in the understanding of protein–protein interactions during extrusion for sustainable health and improved consumer acceptance.