LS 08-Meat Alternatives

EXPLANTIQUE

LS - Brewing and Food Technology

Food Process Engineering

Food Process Engineering

Brewing and Beverage TechnologyChemical EngineeringNutrition and Food Sciences

Participation also possible online only:

Planned project location:

Weihenstephaner Berg 1, 85354, Freising

M.Sc.

Sebastian

Gruber

sebi.gruber@tum.de

+498161713534

M.Sc.

Marius

Reiter

marius.reiter@tum.de

Meat alternatives are gaining popularity as they offer a tasty, eco-friendly way to enjoy the flavors of meat without the environmental footprint. Made from plant-based ingredients or lab-grown cells, these products provide a nutritious option for those looking to reduce their meat consumption. As technology advances, meat alternatives are becoming increasingly convincing, appealing to both vegetarians and meat enthusiasts.
One way to produce meat alternatives is the use of a high moister extrusion process, , which involves the complex thermomechanical transformation of raw materials into a structured multiphase food system. This technique plays a pivotal role in producing plant-based meat alternatives with textures resembling traditional animal-based meats. Thermal and mechanical stresses lead to the unfolding of protein stands. By rotating and conveying the feed through the extruder barrel, the unfolded protein is stretched. Fibrous structures are formed and stiffened by cooling in a cooling die right before the extrudate leaves the extruder. This process involves the alignment and aggregation of proteins, which leads to the formation of both covalent bonds and non-covalent bonds.
In this project we want to investigate how the microstructure structuring within the required cooling die of these meat alternatives can be influenced by the extrusion process. Understanding the impact of the extrusion process variables on the structuring process within the cooling die, enables the design of plant-based meat alternatives with improved fibrousness, bite resistance, and juiciness becomes possible. Additionally, nutritional and sensory preservation is an important aspect of the development of plant-based meat alternatives. The extrusion process can affect the nutritional content and aroma compounds of plant-based products due to heat exposure. A cooling die that efficiently cools the extrudate can minimize heat-induced degradation of sensitive nutrients like vitamins, antioxidants, and phytochemicals by enabling at the same time the desired, meat-like fibrous structure.
The student will work in an international interdisciplinary team of undergraduate, graduate and PhD students. He will perform extrusion trials on pilot plants where different process parameters will be used. To investigate the structure of the generated meat alternatives the student will use X-Ray micro-CT measurements as well as other techniques.
At the end of the stay, the student will be able to understand the structuring process during extrusion and will be able to define guidelines for a defined food structure. This knowledge will help in the future for a better understanding of the extrusion process of plant proteins and therefore, support the development of meat alternatives.

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2 years of bachelor studies completed