Developing freeze-structured meat alternatives using pea and faba proteins: Evaluating their partial and complete substitution in beef patties

The current focus in food processing is on sustainable approaches to reduce global meat consumption while increasing the plant protein intake. This study aims to develop freeze-structured meat alternatives using plant proteins. Pea-based meat alternatives (PBMA) and faba-based meat alternatives (FBMA) were developed, and their interaction with beef was studied. Formulations of plant-based meat (PB1 −PB3), hybrid-meat (HYB1 −HYB6), and control patties (100 % beef) were prepared, and their nutritional, texture, and cooking properties were evaluated. Hybrid-meat patties had protein content ranging from 18 % to 25 % compared to 29 % in control patties and a significant reduction in cooking loss (21–10 %), indicating better moisture retention. Using a lattice mixture design, a formulation was predicted that maximized springiness, chewiness, and protein content while reducing beef content to 54 %. This hybrid-meat product provides an option for consumers to reduce their meat consumption without giving up the familiarity, convenience, and flavour of typical processed meat.