Converting Peanut Protein Biomass Waste into “Double Green” Meat Substitutes Using a High-Moisture Extrusion Process: A Multiscale Method to Explore a Process for Forming a Meat-Like Fibrous Structure

Abstract

Converting peanut protein biomass waste into environmentally friendly meat substitutes by a high-moisture extrusion process can help solve both resource and waste problems and be “double green”. A multiscale method combined with some emerging techniques such as atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy and X-ray microscopy was used to make the whole extrusion process visible to show the process of forming a meat-like fibrous structure using two-dimensional and three-dimensional perspectives. The results showed that the protein molecules underwent dramatic structural changes and unfolded in the extruder barrel, which created favorable conditions for molecular rearrangement in the subsequent zones. It was confirmed that the meat-like fibrous structure started to form at the junction of the die and the cooling zone and that this structure was caused by the phase separation and rearrangement of protein molecules in the cooling zone. Moreover, the interactions between hydrogen bonds and disulfide bonds formed in the cooling zone maintained the meat-like fibrous structure with an α-helix > β-sheet > β-turn > random coil. Of the two main peanut proteins, arachin played a greater role in forming the fibrous structure than conarachin, especially those subunits of arachin with a molecular weight of 42, 39, and 22 kDa.

A review of research on plant‐based meat alternatives: Driving forces, history, manufacturing, and consumer attitudes

“…Some waste biomasses pose as a potential source of protein for PBMA due to the high levels of protein present. For example, Zhang, Liu, et al (2019) was successful in utilizing peanut protein biomass waste with high-moisture extrusion to produce meat analogues. This method is highly desirable as it helps to reduce waste products and aids to decrease the amount of resources needed for food production.…”

Production of Plant-Based Seafood: Scallop Analogs Formed by Enzymatic Gelation of Pea Protein-Pectin Mixtures

“…Plant-based foods have been fabricated using several processing technologies, including extrusion, shear cell, spinning, and 3D printing methods [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. At present, extrusion is the most commonly used technology for the industrial production of plant-based foods because of its simplicity, versatility, and scalability [ 2 , 24 ].…”

A UHPLC-MS/MS Method for the Detection of Meat Substitution by Nine Legume Species in Emulsion-Type Sausages

“…However, a variety of other sources exist, especially high-protein legumes, showing crude protein contents (related to the dry matter of ripe seeds, each) as follows: Soy (41%), lupine blue (40%), lupine white (40–45%), peanut (31%), lentil (29%), broad bean (27%), pea (26%), chickpea (23%), and alfalfa (18%) [ 4 , 5 ]. It should also be mentioned that the remaining residues of the production of peanut and soy oil (defatted materials) show significantly higher protein contents than the ripe seeds (peanut (55%) [ 6 ] and soy (49%) [ 7 ]). In addition to the high protein content of legumes, their high global production rates also favor their use as cost-effective sources of foreign protein in meat products.…”