Publication
Authors
Da Chen, Postdoc, Food Science and Technology (FST)
Diana Rocha-Mendoz, Postdoc, FST
Shengyue Shan, PhD Student, FST
Zachary Smith, Student, Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Environmental Engineering
Israel García-Cano, Postdoc, FST
Julie Prost, Clextral Inc.
Rafael Jimenez-Flores, Professor and J.T. 'Stubby' Parker Endowed Chair in Dairy Foods, FST
Osvaldo H. Campanella, Professor and Carl E. Haas Endowed Chair in Food Industries, FST
Quick Take
As plant-based meat producers strive to compete with traditional animal products, a key aspect of nutrition is on their minds: protein. While plant-based meat is thought to minimize harm to ecosystems and offer health benefits over traditional meat, like lower saturated fat and cholesterol levels, researchers still don’t fully understand how its protein levels stack up to animal meat. Researchers at CFAES sought to answer this question and explore how well plant-based peptides—small protein chains made of amino acids—are absorbed by human cells.
Undertaking one of the world’s first comprehensive studies of the nutritional value of meat substitutes, they compared small samples of cooked chicken breast to plant-based meat made with soy and wheat proteins. They ran tests to compare the texture and microstructure of each sample, and even simulated human digestion by replicating chewing and immersing samples in the type of enzymes that human bodies use to break down food.
Results
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The texture and mouthfeel of plant-based meat can be an important part of consumers accepting these alternatives. The plant-based meat that researchers tested was chewier, harder, and tougher to break down than the chicken breast. Microstructure was likely to blame: while both samples had meat-like fibers, the chicken also contained connective tissue, making it softer.
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Results showed that the peptide proteins from the chicken breast were easier to digest and absorb than the plant-based meat, likely because digestive enzymes can penetrate chicken better and its proteins are more water soluble. Certain chemicals in soy could prevent plant-based meat from being taken up efficiently.
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The plant-based meat protein that was tested had significantly fewer amino acids than the chicken breast, suggesting that plant-based meat nutrition could be improved going forward.
- However, the plant-based meat did not cause inflammation and was not cytotoxic, meaning the digested proteins didn’t affect cell growth or cause dysfunction. As a result, researchers concluded that the plant-based sample would be an acceptable meat substitute.
Citation
Chen, D., Rocha-Mendoza, D., Shan, S., Smith, Z., García-Cano, I., Prost, J., Jimenez-Flores, R., Campanella, O.H. “Characterization and Cellular Uptake of Peptides Derived from In Vitro Digestion of Meat Analogues Produced by a Sustainable Extrusion Process.” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 70, 26, 8124–8133, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.2c01711