Rheological Properties of Plant-Based Food Systems

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Background

Background: Following a plant-based diet has become increasingly popular due to health, environmental, and ethical concerns. Plant-based alternatives are being developed to meet consumer demands while ensuring the sustainability of future food supplies. Therefore, the food industry has recently started to focus on developing plant-based analogs for meat, fish, egg, milk, fermented beverages, and their derivatives. The major component with the structure-forming properties in plant-based food analogs is protein. Wheat gluten has been suggested as a good plant-based protein alternative due to its ability to form viscoelastic networks. However, it is not a widely accepted protein due to the increasing prevalence of celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Thus, developing plant-based meat or dairy analogs with improved quality constitutes a challenge for the food industry. Similar issues are also encountered in gluten-free baked product manufacturing.

Goal: The challenges in the processing of plant-based foods arise due to the selection of food components with the proper functionalities. Commercial plant proteins such as soy protein, pea protein, zein, etc. are good texturizing protein alternatives for the manufacturing of plant-based food analogs. However, certain chemical treatments, processing applications, or formula developments are required to enhance the functionality of these proteins. Lipids are also important in terms of providing desired sensory properties such as juiciness, tenderness, and flavor in meat analogs; and smoothness and creaminess in dairy analogs. To replace animal fat in foods, structured emulsions have recently gained popularity. As for gluten-free baked products, the lack of gluten reduces the gas retention capacity or aeration in gluten-free dough systems. This results in a decrease in the specific volume of baked products, which is the most important quality parameter for most baked products in terms of consumer acceptance. These processing issues can be overcome by adjusting the optimum water level or by using structure-improving agents in gluten-free dough systems. Thus, the aim of this research topic is to utilize rheology-based techniques to improve quality characteristics of plant-based food systems including plant-based meat analogs, plant-based dairy analogs, and gluten-free baked products.

Scope and Information for Authors: This research topic welcomes original research articles and reviews covering, but not limited to, the following sub-themes;

- Flow properties, linear and non-linear viscoelastic properties of plant-based meat or dairy analogs, gluten-free dough/batter systems, and the correlation of these properties with the quality characteristics of final products

- Characterization of nutritional and mechanical properties of different food components (i.e., non-gluten proteins, structured emulsions such as oleogels, etc.) and assessing their impact on the overall quality characteristics of plant-based food systems.

- Predicting the impact of ingredients (enzymes, surfactants, etc.) used in plant-based food product formulas on the textural and sensory characteristics of plant-based food products.

- Exploring innovative approaches and emerging technologies to further advance the rheological properties and overall quality of plant-based food systems.

Keywords: plant-based foods, gluten-free doughs, meat analogs, dairy analogs, non-gluten proteins, structured emulsions, fat mimetics, rheology

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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