Effect of glycation on soy protein isolate and its application as a fat substitute in plant-based meat patties

Emulsion-based systems are increasingly explored as fat substitutes in plant-based foods due to their ability to mimic lipid functionality. In this study, soy protein isolate was glycated with glucose via the Maillard reaction (grafting degree: 59.00%) and used to stabilize oil-in-water emulsions for plant-based patties. Glycation induced a transition from ordered to disordered secondary structures, indicating increased molecular flexibility. This structural rearrangement was associated with enhanced emulsifying activity and improved emulsion stability, due to facilitated adsorption and rearrangement at the oil-water interface. When incorporated into patties, a 50% fat replacement level achieved optimal performance, maintaining color comparable to the control while improving texture, reflected by increased resilience (0.25), with a moisture content of 24.40% and water activity of 0.715. These findings demonstrate that glycation-driven structural modification can be translated into improved interfacial functionality and product quality, providing a basis for designing protein-based fat substitutes in reduced-fat plant-based systems.