Structural engineering of plant-based meat alternatives via salt incorporation: Comparative analysis with cooked chicken breast and evaluation of structural stability under thermal pasteurization and freeze-thaw treatment

초록

As plant-based meat alternatives gain momentum in response to sustainability, health, and ethical concerns, high-moisture meat alternatives (HMMAs) have emerged as a leading technology for replicating the fibrous texture of animal muscle. However, the structural vulnerability of HMMAs during post-processing, such as lowtemperature long-time (LTLT) pasteurization and freeze-thaw treatment, continues to hinder their industrial scalability. This study aimed to evaluate the dual role of salt incorporation, specifically sodium chloride (NaCl) and potassium chloride (KCl), in both the formation and stabilization of HMMAs. Ion-modulated HMMAs (IMHMMAs) were produced with varying concentrations of NaCl and KCl, and their structural and textural properties were assessed before and after post-processing. The results revealed that 1.2 % NaCl and 0.8 % KCl were optimal for enhancing fibrous anisotropy, effectively mimicking real meat structures through improved protein unfolding and alignment facilitated by ionic strength. Notably, salt-treated samples demonstrated superior resistance to mechanical degradation during LTLT pasteurization and freeze-thaw treatment, maintaining or even improving their degree of texturization compared to salt-free controls. These findings highlight that salts function not only as texturizing agents during extrusion but also as structural stabilizers during post-processing. This work provides practical insights for improving the structural fidelity and shelf-life stability of nextgeneration plant-based meat products.

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