Physicochemical, textural, and sensorial properties of fibrous meat analogs from oat-pea protein blends extruded at different moistures, temperatures, and screw speeds

This study investigated meat analogs produced using low-moisture extrusion from oat and pea protein blends at ratios 20:80, 30:70, 50:50, and 70:30. Response surface methodology was used to assess the effect of blend composition, screw speed (200–1200 rpm), barrel temperature (135–160 °C), and moisture content (25–35%) on the properties of extruded meat analogs. Blend composition had a relatively stronger effect on water holding capacity, water solubility index, bitterness, cohesiveness, and springiness, while extrusion conditions had more influence on hardness, fibrousness, and moistness. As the oat content increased from 20% to 70% the maximum sensory fibrousness increased from 7.2 to 8.6 on a scale of 0–9. Although the mean water holding capacity decreased from 2.1 to 1.4 g g−1, the mean sensory moistness remained around 4.1. Cereal taste dominated over legumes with the mean intensities 3.9 and 2.0, however, the differences between oat-pea blends were small. In general, the extruded meat analogs had a mild flavor and high fibrousness, and the developed response surface models can be used to tune the properties further. This confirms that oat protein in combination with pea is a practical alternative to soy and gluten proteins for the production of meat analogs.