Structural and rheological properties of meat analogues from Haematococcus pluvialis residue-pea protein by high moisture extrusion

Meat analogues, a kind of healthy promising meat substitute, are gaining more and more attention due to its eco-friendly, personal satisfactory and low cost benefits. In this study, Haematococcus pluvialis residue (HPR) was used for preparing pea protein-based meat analogues by high moisture extrusion. Mixed raw material with HPR contents ranging from 10 g/100g to 40 g/100g can successfully be extruded under high moisture of 50 g/100g. The reddish color of HPR made the extrudates look like dried red meat. HPR could markedly improve the textural properties by loosening the layered and the fibrous structures of meat analogues. The fibrous degree of meat analogues with 10 g/100g (dry basis) HPR content reached the maximum (1.28 ± 0.05). Even though the HPR content increased to 40 g/100g (dry basis), the fibrous degree of meat analogues was 1.15 ± 0.03, which was higher than the extrudates without HPR (1.08 ± 0.05). The mechanism of forming meat analogues with better texture was mainly caused by the increased free water content and β-Sheet structure of extrudates after adding HPR. On the whole, HPR can be used as a raw material for high moisture extrusion to enhance the physical properties of meat analogues.