Modification and texturization of plant proteins for vegetarian shrimp applications using transglutaminase

Abstract

In recent years, vegetarian meat has seen significant growth in the market. However, vegetarian shrimp remains suboptimal, primarily because it is made from konjac, lacking the authentic texture of shrimp. This study aimed to enhance the texture of vegetarian shrimp by using various commercial plant proteins (soy, pea, Cyanobacteria, and wheat protein) combined with different transglutaminase (TGase) concentrations (0.1% and 0.5%). These were tested under specific temperatures (25 °C and 50 °C) and incubation periods (20 and 60 min) to establish a correlation between protein profiles and food texture. For comparison, three types of frozen shrimp (grass shrimp, prawn, and lobster) were used as benchmarks. The protein profiles and scanning electron microscope images of these frozen shrimps showed minor differences. The plant proteins profiles and textures were notably influenced by the varied TGase concentrations, temperatures, and incubation times. Moreover, when TGase was added, both soy and pea proteins achieved a texture akin to that of frozen lobster. Incorporating 0.5% TGase into soy and pea proteins resulted in vegetarian shrimp that closely resembled lobster in both protein profile and texture. Additionally, experimental data suggested that using Cyanobacteria and wheat proteins could enhance the flavor and springiness of the food. Overall, this study may serve as a valuable reference for the preparation of vegetarian shrimp.

Keywords

• transglutaminase
• plant protein
• Vegetarian shrimp
• Surface hydrophobicity
• scanning electron microscopy
• Texture analysis