When and how should low acyl gellan gum be added to the protein blends to improve meat analogue texture?

Abstract

The addition of hydrocolloids to protein blends may improve the formation of structure of products formed upon heating and shearing, and thus could be valuable in developing better meat analogues. In this study, the effects of adding one particular hydrocolloid, and the use of calcium chloride (CaCl2) as a solidifying agent were evaluated on the macrostructure, microstructure, and the mechanical properties of pea protein isolate (PPI) and wheat gluten blends (WG) (ratio 1:1, 40 wt%), when using shearing and heating as formation process. The addition of low acyl gellan gum was shown to result in better internal structure, such as oriented fibrousness, but only when the low acyl gellan gum was added together with the WG after first allowing hydration of the PPI in a CaCl2 solution. The material was markedly stronger and tougher both parallel and perpendicular to the shearing direction. The influence of the sequence of addition indicates that the interactions between the different components before and during heating and shearing are non-equilibrium and that therefore the preparation procedure of the initial dough is just as important as the composition and the settings of the heating and shearing process itself.