Analyzing potato protein isolates for their potential in developing meat analogues

Abstract

To keep up with the rapidly increasing global population, a significant increase in production of protein foods is required. The environmental impact of the meat industry, in combination with consumer awareness, calls for this food production to become more sustainable. One solution is development of meat analogues, which are meat-like texturized products based on vegetable proteins.

In this project, potato proteins were analyzed for their potential in developing these meat analogues. Currently, potato proteins with great nutritional value often go to waste as a by-product of the potato starch industry. Therefore, finding ways to utilize these proteins in the food industry is both economically and environmentally beneficial.

High moisture extrusion is a promising technique for obtaining fibrous products from vegetable proteins. Here, a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) was used to mimic the process conditions inside an extruder, and to study the behavior of the potato proteins during high temperature (>100ᵒC) heating and subsequent cooling. Various parameters were analyzed, such as heating temperature, cooling rate, shear rate, protein concentration, addition of potato starch, and addition of rapeseed oil. It was found that potato protein isolates were able to form compact texturized products in the RVA, when heated to 140ᵒC. The best structure was obtained for a 6% protein concentration (w/w on wet basis) with addition of 1% starch and 1.5% rapeseed oil. Overall, this research shows that potato proteins show great potential for developing meat analogues, already at low protein concentrations.

Popular Abstract

In this thesis project, it was analyzed whether potato proteins could be used to develop a “fake meat”.

The world population keeps growing rapidly, is becoming more affluent, and has a strong desire to eat meat. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), approximately 72 billion land animals are killed for food per year (FAOSTAT, 2017), and this is estimated to double by 2050 (FAO, 2019). Double! The environmental impact of the meat industry is enormous, and combined with animal welfare issues, consumers are looking for a change. Instead of stuffing animals with plant proteins, to later eat their meat as a source of protein and energy for humans, why not find ways to eat the plant proteins directly? One reason is that meat is embedded in many Western cultures as a staple food. But what if we can make products that resemble meat from plant proteins? A-ha, this is where meat analogues come in, also known as vegetarian or “fake” meats.

Potato proteins are great vegetable proteins to use in the food production industry. They are very nutritious, and are already found in enormous quantities all over the world. This is because potato proteins are a byproduct of the potato starch industry. Currently, however, a lot of the potato protein goes to waste, which is why finding a use for these potato proteins in food is both sustainable and economically beneficial.

First, the potato proteins were analyzed for their functionality and ability to form gels. It was determined that the potato proteins could indeed form stable structures. Then, a promising technique to produce meat analogues is called high moisture extrusion. During this process, protein mixes are first heated up, after which pressure and shear are applied during cooling, which results in formation of fibrous products. Unfortunately, it was not possible to use an actual extruder in this project, so instead a machine called a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) was used to predict behavior of the potato proteins inside an extruder. The RVA measures the viscosity of the proteins as a function of time. The effect of many different parameters on the outcome of the RVA was analyzed, namely shear rate, heating temperature, cooling rate, protein concentration, addition of oil, and addition of starch. It was determined that potato proteins show great potential in producing “fake meat” when heated up to 140ᵒC, for a low protein concentration of 6%. Especially combined addition of starch and oil have beneficial effects on the texture of the formed protein product. An exciting next step of this research is to use an actual extruder to make meat analogues based on potato proteins.

• author: Schut, Jade Yu Lan
• supervisor: Eva Tornberg
• organization: Food Technology and Nutrition (M.Sc.)
• course: KLGM01 20201
• year: 2020
• type: H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
• subject: Agriculture and Food Sciences; Technology and Engineering
• keywords: potato protein isolates, meat analogues, meat alternatives, rapid visco analyzer, high moisture extrusion, textured vegetable proteins, food technology, livsmedelsteknologi
• language: English
• id: 9016701
• date added to LUP: 2020-06-15 13:58:00
• date last changed: 2020-06-15 13:58:00