Valorizing Press Cakes as Ingredients in Textured Vegetable Proteins: Processing, Structure, and Texture

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Sustainable Food Production
• Plant-Based Ingredients

Background:

• Press cakes (PCs) are by-products from oil production, rich in protein and fiber.
• Developing sustainable and nutritious meat alternatives is a growing area of food science.
• Utilizing by-products like PCs can enhance the sustainability of food production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the techno-functional properties of various press cakes (PCs) for producing textured vegetable proteins (TVPs).
• To assess the impact of PC content on the processing, structure, and texture of TVPs.
• To determine the potential of PCs to improve the nutritional profile and meat-like texture of plant-based meat alternatives.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of 15 PC flours from various oil sources (almond, coconut, flaxseed, pumpkin, rapeseed, sunflower).
• Low-moisture extrusion of PC flours mixed with pea protein isolate at different concentrations.
• Analysis of extrudate structure (microscopy) and texture (fracture test, texture profile analysis).

Main Results:

• Oil and protein content in PCs significantly influence TVP processing and properties.
• Increased PC content led to denser TVPs with smaller pores and thicker lamellae, enhancing meat-like chewiness.
• TVPs made with sunflower, flaxseed, and pumpkin seed PCs exhibited superior meat-like textural attributes.

Conclusions:

• Press cakes possess suitable techno-functional properties for use in TVP production.
• PCs can partially replace traditional protein isolates, improving TVP nutrition, texture, and sustainability.
• This research provides insights for optimizing TVP production using diverse plant-based by-products.