Optimization of ingredient composition for meat analogue prepared from Manila tamarind protein isolate by freeze texturization

In this study, Manila tamarind seed protein was used to produce texturized protein by optimizing the composition of different components to achieve desired structural and physicochemical attributes. D-optimal mixture design was used to obtain the desired formulation by combination of the mixture components (solids and liquid). The desired texture was produced through the freeze-texturization process. The responses studied were hardness, springiness, fibre, and protein content. The optimized dosages of different constituents were calculated as protein isolate at 6.53%, wheat gluten at 1.23%, jackfruit flour at 1.15%, sodium alginate at 3.6% and liquid (water and oil, 10:1) at 87.48%. Predicted and experimental values were comparable in almost every case and the optimized methodology can be used to develop texturized proteins of desired textural and nutritional attributes. The vertical cutting force and parallel cutting force of the texturized protein was 684.9 g (6.85 N) and 972.55 g (9.72 N), respectively, giving degree of texturization value as 1.42. The cooking-yield and cooking-loss of the optimized texturized-protein was 86.33% and 13.67%, respectively, while the in-vitro protein digestibility value was 64.33%. The scanning electron micrographs showed that the layered structure was observed for freeze-texturized proteins, with fiber size ranging between 10 and 100 μm.