food Marketing & Technology 1/2021

Processing
they are processed inside the extruder,
the plant-proteins are denatured due
to shear loading and the increase in
temperature, which re-aligns them into
long fibers. The cooling die is a vital
attachment to the extruder. As the
restructured protein flows through the
cooling die, phase separation results in
a fibrous and layered structure, which
is then cooled to a solid product exiting
the cooling die. This meat substitute,
typically a rectangular slab due to
current cooling die designs, can then
be further processed to create diverse
products such as ground meat, pulled
pork, burger patties and chicken pieces.
The cooling die is also the main
bottleneck in the high-moisture
extrusion process. Until now, the
throughput has been limited to 500
kg/h, making it difficult for the industry
to keep up with consumer demand and
to compete with the high volumes
produced by the meat industry. To
address this, Bühler is excited to
announce the launch of a new high
performance cooling die, the PolyCool
1000, with a throughput of up to 1000
kg/h. This novel solution is unparalleled
in the industry and will revolutionize
the production of sustainable meat
alternatives and other protein products.
With the ability to double throughput
on one line, the cost per kilogram
of product becomes much cheaper,
allowing producers to reduce the
sales price and reach more consumer
markets.
Bühler, as a complete solution provider
for the meat substitute value chain, is
heavily engaged in innovation in this
area. Specializing in both dry and high
moisture extrusion, Bühler enables its
customers to find solutions with their
customized recipes in order to achieve
the desired layered and fibrous texture,
like that of meat. Bühler’s application
centers located in Minneapolis (USA),
Uzwil (Switzerland), Wuxi (China), and
soon in Singapore, enable customers to
carry out trials for recipe and process
optimization with the expert support
of Bühler’s technology team. In order
to cater to the growing demand, plantbased
meat producers need to increase
the throughput of their processes.
Bühler’s unique solution of a cooling
die with a throughput of 1000 kg/h
makes it the market leader among
state-of-the art technological solution
providers. In addition to extruder
systems and cooling dies, Bühler
provides solutions for pre-processing
of the material using pre- conditioners.
These pre-conditioners can provide an
additional retention time for the raw
ingredients which might be needed
to stimulate certain physicochemical
reactions, improving the functionality
of the recipe components. Bühler has
several partnerships with downstream
processors of the extruded product,
thereby supporting customers in
finding the full bean-to-burger solution.
Technological advancements in
the meat substitute segment have
prompted numerous start-ups to
launch in this market. According to
the GFI report quoted above, USD 457
million was invested in the plant-based
sector in 2019 alone. Hence, the growth
in this segment is an indicator of the
growing interest from consumers for
such products.
Popular and futuristic protein sources
for meat substitutes:
Current popular plant-based meats in
the market are produced from soy or
pea protein-based recipes. For highmoisture
extrusion for example, basic
products can be formulated by mixing
33% soy protein concentrate with 66%
water, or 45% pea protein isolate with
55% water in the recipe. The extrusion
conditions also differ depending on the
recipe. Typical temperatures need to
reach up to 145-150 °C when extruding
soy protein concentrate, while for pea
protein isolates, temperatures are in the
range of 130-145 °C. The configuration
of the screw elements are also adjusted
depending on the protein sources in
order to provide the necessary amount
of shear loading inside the extruder.
These process parameters are optimized
thanks to experience and scientific
understanding.
Other protein sources gaining
popularity more recently are chickpea,
lentil, potato, fava bean, and
mycoprotein, which all have great
nutritional properties and can be used
to produce meat-like structures. With
the advancement of fermentation
technology, single-celled proteins
such as algae, yeast, and bacteria will
become more important in the near
future.
In conclusion, scientists and industries
around the world are continuously
engaged in exploring the nutritional
and functional aspects of alternative
protein sources in order to make our
protein value chain more efficient. Meat
substitutes present an unparalleled
opportunity for sustainability in our
food systems. With the new PolyCool
1000, Bühler proves it is committed to
leading the way in developing the best
solutions for the alternative protein
industry.
fmt
28
food Marketing & Technology • February 2021