Title : Descriptive sensory analysis of Plant-Based Meat Alternatives (PBMA) made from diverse Texturised Vegetable Proteins (TVP).
Abstract:
There is a growing need to diversify the use of plant proteins in plant-based meat alternative (PBMA) foods due to the current sources delivering undesirable sensory properties.
In this study, we aimed to compare the sensory profiles of a range of PBMA burgers using descriptive sensory analysis. The PBMA burgers under study, included fourteen different prototype products with two levels of flavour additive intensity in conjunction with three non-soy texturised vegetable proteins (TVP) canola, pea and faba.
Using a trained panel (n=8), we conducted a detailed descriptive sensory analysis using a 0-100cm intensity scale with word anchors. Multivariate analysis Fisher’s LSD post=hoc test, indicated that no alternative TVP significantly influenced the sensory properties of any of the attributes, compared to the control (soy), (P = 0.1) at regular flavour intensity. These results offer a ground-breaking conclusion that novel protein sources can partially or fully replace soy TVP production in PBMAs.
When we added increased levels of flavour, burgers P-HIGH and SC-HIGH exhibited a significantly stronger beef-like flavour profile to the control (P =0.1), revealing that the unique protein structures of these alternatives have potential to enhance flavour release of favourable attributes.
These findings provide an important insight into the protein structure of PBMAs is not just a functional component but a key player in flavour perception. This opens exciting possibilities for designing plant-based products that can mimic the sensory experience of traditional meat, leading to increase consumer acceptance. By demonstrating that alternative proteins can alter flavour generation, this research paves the way for more palatable, market ready PBMAs. Moreover, alleviating the significant reliance on soy-based TVPs and presenting a more sustainable alternative for the future.
