FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF PLANT-BASED INGREDIENTS FOCUSED ON THEIR APPLICATION IN HYBRID MEAT PRODUCTS

In recent years, plant-based ingredients as alternatives to meat raw materials have attracted increasing scientific and technological interest for application in hybrid meat products, either as extenders or partial meat replacers, due to their sustainability, health benefits, functional properties, and added value. This study aimed to evaluate the water absorption capacity (WAC), oil absorption capacity (OAC), and gel-forming capacity (GFC) of six plant-based ingredients: psyllium, babassu flour, bamboo fiber, pea protein, pea fiber, and oat fiber, in order to assess their potential as extenders or partial meat replacers in future studies. Three concentration levels (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%) were evaluated using methodologies based on internationally recognized reference methods (AOAC and EMBRAPA). The results showed that bamboo fiber exhibited the highest water absorption capacity (WAC) and oil absorption capacity (OAC) among the evaluated ingredients. The WAC of a food ingredient is defined as the amount of water absorbed and retained per gram of product, a property that plays a crucial role in determining texture and preserving aroma and flavor compounds in meat products. Oil absorption capacity is influenced by the structural organization of the protein matrix, the hydrophobic properties of the protein surface, as well as the type, distribution, and stability of lipids present in the system. Accordingly, proteins with greater surface hydrophobicity exhibit higher affinity for lipids, resulting in greater oil retention capacity. Gel-forming capacity (GFC) was evaluated at concentrations of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%. Psyllium and bamboo fiber formed gels at the lowest concentration evaluated (0.5%), whereas the remaining plant-based ingredients required higher concentrations to form gels. Protein gelation is promoted by hydrophobic interactions under specific conditions and by disulfide bond formation, which stabilizes the three-dimensional network. These findings indicate that bamboo fiber and psyllium have promising potential as functional ingredients in emulsified meat products, contributing to improved textural properties and enhanced system stability.