Lea Ventzki

Plant-based meat substitutes are typically produced using the dry extrusion process. This process yields semi-finished products known as low-moisture texturized vegetable proteins (LMTVPs). Currently, purified plant protein isolates or concentrates are predominantly used in the production of meat substitutes. This cost-intensive process generates by-products that, in some cases, cannot be further processed in the value chain but contain nutritionally valuable components such as dietary fiber. To utilize native, protein-rich legume flours in the extrusion process, a mechanistic understanding of how protein, starch, and dietary fiber content influence expansion behavior during extrusion is required.

The aim of this work is to investigate the influence of dietary fiber on the structural formation of LMTVPs through targeted variation of process and formulation parameters.