Plant-based meat analogues and hybrid meats produced by high-moisture extrusion and high-temperature shear processing : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Food Technology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. EMBARGOED until 15 November 2027.

Abstract

Plant-based meat analogues (PBMAs) are primarily made from plant proteins as the foundational ingredients, which undergo thermomechanical processing (TMP) techniques to mimic the fibrous texture and flavour of meat but face issues such as a lack of fibrous structure, low digestibility and deficiencies in essential amino acids. High-moisture extrusion (HME) is the primary processing technique for preparing fibrous meat analogues. This study developed a novel high-temperature shear processing (HTSP) method for producing uniformly consistent hybrid meat analogues and PBMAs. A systematic comparison was conducted between meat analogues prepared via HME and HTSP, focusing on the impact of these TMP on protein conformational changes at the molecular level. It was found that these two techniques distinctly affect the secondary and tertiary conformations of soy, pea, and rice proteins. This study also found that the hybrid meat analogues demonstrated improved protein digestibility and bioavailability compared to PBMAs.