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Plant-Based Alternatives to Meat Products: Innovative Processing Technologies and Their...
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Plant-Based Alternatives to Meat Products: Innovative Processing Technologies and Their Future Perspectives

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Foods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2025 | Viewed by 12085

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Claire Darizu Munialo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Food Land and Agribusiness Management Department, Harper Adams University, Shropshire, Newport TF10 8NB, UK
Interests: plant-based foods; alternative proteins; functional properties of proteins; meat alternatives
Dr. Parag Acharya

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Aquatic Biotechnology and Biology, Natural Resources Institute, Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
Interests: plant-based foods; alternative proteins; functional properties of proteins; meat alternatives
Prof. Dr. Frank Vriesekoop

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Science, Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, UK
Interests: yeast; brewing; distilling; food safety; metabolism; simultaneous saccharification; fermentation; solid state fermentation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to the continual increase in the world population, there has been an increase in the need for food, and particularly protein, to feed the growing population. Proteins of animal origin have, in the past, been key to feeding the human population; however, animal husbandry has in recent years come under heavy criticism due to its impact on the environment. In particular, the rearing of animals contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, which have an impact on climate change. Consequently, there has been a shift to move away from proteins of animal origin, hence the rise in the search for alternative proteins, such as those of plant origin, substitute meats being a good example.

For this reason, a Special Issue of Foods is being released, focused on plant-based alternatives to meat products: innovative processing technologies and their future perspectives. It will provide an overview of the current status and future perspectives of plant-based alternatives to meat products in addition to looking at innovative technologies that could be adapted to enhance the production of alternatives.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Plant-based alternatives to meat products.
  • Innovate processing technologies for plant-based alternatives to meat products.
  • Bioactive compounds from food matrices with antidiabetic potential.
  • Future prospects to produce plant-based alternatives to meat products.
  • Challenges and opportunities for the formulation of plant-based alternatives to meat products.
  • Consumer knowledge and preferences for plant-based alternatives to meat products.
  • Plant-based alternatives production technology.

This Special Issue on “Plant-Based Alternatives to Meat Products: Innovative Processing Technologies and Their Future Perspectives” will include a selection of recent research and current review articles on plant-based meat alternatives. This Special Issue is particularly focused on articles describing the innovative processing technologies in the production of plant-based meat alternatives and their future perspectives.

Dr. Claire Darizu Munialo
Dr. Parag Acharya
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plant-based foods
  • meat analogues
  • meat alternatives
  • meat substitutes
  • substitute meat products
  • alternative foods
  • foods of plant origin
  • plant-based meat alternatives
  • future foods

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 1559 KiB  
Article
Hybrid Meat Sausages with Cereal Ingredients: A Systematic Review and Development Trial with the Assessment of Physicochemical and Sensory Attributes
by Anna Olewnik-Mikołajewska, Dominika Guzek, Dominika Głąbska and Krystyna Gutkowska
Foods 2024, 13(21), 3436; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13213436 - 28 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1634
Abstract
A number of consumers in developed countries are now reducing the amount of meat in their diets, so the development of novel alternatives for conventional meat products is becoming a challenge for the meat industry. The aim of this study was to analyse [...] Read more.
A number of consumers in developed countries are now reducing the amount of meat in their diets, so the development of novel alternatives for conventional meat products is becoming a challenge for the meat industry. The aim of this study was to analyse the possibility of developing hybrid meat sausages with cereal ingredients, based on a systematic review of the literature, as well as a development trial of a hybrid dry snack stick sausage with groats with an assessment of its physicochemical and sensory attributes. A systematic review of peer-reviewed studies about hybrid meat sausages with cereal ingredients, including bibliometric network analysis, was conducted. The development trial was conducted including physicochemical analyses and sensory assessment of the hybrid semi-dry sausages, produced as a ready-to-eat snack (cabanossi) with groats, obtained on an industrial scale. Among the studied hybrid meat products with cereal ingredients, there were patties, frankfurters, salami, and other sausages, while the cereal products added included various components obtained from rice, wheat, chia, and oats. The usefulness of the applied cereal components was emphasised in order to obtain a product of a potential better nutritional value and higher health-promoting properties, as well as being acceptable, or sometimes even better, and described as being products of a good quality. The development trial allowed us to obtain the hybrid semi-dry ready-to-eat cabanossi sausages with groats, which were compared with the hybrid semi-dry ready-to-eat cabanossi sausages with sunflower seeds. Both studied products were characterised by a composition in agreement with requirements, but of a reduced fat content (with hybrid semi-dry ready-to-eat cabanossi sausages with groats being even lower than for those with sunflower seeds; p < 0.0001). Their sensory properties were acceptable, even if the plant-based components were recognisable. The characteristics of the hybrid meat products with cereal ingredients both in the literature and development trial were acceptable, and what is even more important is that they are characterised by a potential to be presented as a product of a better nutritional value and higher health-promoting properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Based Alternatives to Meat Products: Innovative Processing Technologies and Their Future Perspectives)
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Review

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24 pages, 1374 KiB  
Review
Plant-Based Alternatives to Meat Products
by Claire Darizu Munialo, Vahid Baeghbali and Parag Acharya
Foods 2025, 14(8), 1396; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14081396 - 17 Apr 2025
Viewed by 1663
Abstract
Animal proteins have been used in the formulation and production of food products for many centuries, which has mainly been attributed to their excellent functional properties. However, the rearing of animals has been associated with an increased emission of greenhouse gases that contributes [...] Read more.
Animal proteins have been used in the formulation and production of food products for many centuries, which has mainly been attributed to their excellent functional properties. However, the rearing of animals has been associated with an increased emission of greenhouse gases that contributes to global warming and climate change. Consequently, there has been a drive toward using alternative proteins, such as those from plant origins, which have been found to be more sustainable. A climate-smart strategy to contribute toward a reduction in meat consumption has been the formulation of plant-based meat analogues. The lower acceptance of these meat substitutes is mainly attributed to their sensorial, nutritional, and textural properties, which fail to resemble conventional meat. As such, there is a knowledge gap in understanding key aspects that come into play while formulating meat alternatives from plant sources by deciphering the link between the techno-functional attributes of protein and the various quality attributes of these food products. Therefore, this review aims to discuss the technical advances that have been made when it comes to plant-based meat substitutes that could drive consumer acceptance. There is also a huge impetus to diversify plant protein usage in meat analogues beyond soy and pea, which requires the applications of underutilised plant proteins to overcome their functional and organoleptic shortcomings, as well as the techno-economic challenges that have also been addressed in this work. Additionally, the nutritional equivalency of plant-based meat alternatives is reviewed, and the ways in which these products have been fabricated are discussed to assess the opportunities and challenges that exist in current product formulations. Other key determinants, such as environmental sustainability factors, prospective supply chain issues, and the market adoptability of plant-based meat alternatives, are also discussed. This review emphasises the fact that interlinking technical challenges with consumer insights and socioeconomic perspectives for protein transition is critical to ensure that innovations successfully land in the market. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Based Alternatives to Meat Products: Innovative Processing Technologies and Their Future Perspectives)
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13 pages, 993 KiB  
Review
Plant-Based Meat Analogues and Consumer Interest in 3D-Printed Products: A Mini-Review
by Owen Miller, Christopher J. Scarlett and Taiwo O. Akanbi
Foods 2024, 13(15), 2314; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13152314 - 23 Jul 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3440
Abstract
The markets for plant-based meat analogues (PBMAs) are growing worldwide, showing the increasing consumer demand for and acceptance of these new products. Three-dimensional (3D) food printing is a new technology with huge potential for printing products customised to suit consumers’ wants and needs. [...] Read more.
The markets for plant-based meat analogues (PBMAs) are growing worldwide, showing the increasing consumer demand for and acceptance of these new products. Three-dimensional (3D) food printing is a new technology with huge potential for printing products customised to suit consumers’ wants and needs. There is a broad acceptance from consumers regarding the safety and desirability of consuming food products that are produced using 3D printing. As this is a new technology, consumers must be provided with relevant information from a trusted source, with further research needing to be conducted within the context of the identified market and culture. By embracing the strength of customisation of 3D printing and coupling this with the global demand for plant-based products, 3D printed PBMAs could be a future challenger to the currently popular production method of extrusion. Therefore, this article reviews consumer interests in PBMAs and summarises opportunities for using 3D printing technology to produce plant-based meat analogues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Based Alternatives to Meat Products: Innovative Processing Technologies and Their Future Perspectives)
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18 pages, 1398 KiB  
Review
Dietary Fibers: Shaping Textural and Functional Properties of Processed Meats and Plant-Based Meat Alternatives
by Aleksandra Marczak and Ana C. Mendes
Foods 2024, 13(12), 1952; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13121952 - 20 Jun 2024
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4201
Abstract
The search for alternative sources of plant-based ingredients to improve the textural and sensory properties of plant-based meat alternatives (PMAs) is a growing trend, with the potential to enhance the sustainability of global food systems. While much focus has been placed on plant-based [...] Read more.
The search for alternative sources of plant-based ingredients to improve the textural and sensory properties of plant-based meat alternatives (PMAs) is a growing trend, with the potential to enhance the sustainability of global food systems. While much focus has been placed on plant-based proteins, it is known today that dietary fibers (DFs) can also play a key role in the textural and other physicochemical properties of traditional processed meat products and PMAs. This review examined the latest scientific literature regarding the advantages of using DF in food. It showcases the latest applications of DF in processed meats, PMAs, and the effects of DF on the functional properties of food products, thereby aiming to increase DF applications to create improved, healthier, and more sustainable meat and PMA foods. The predominant effects of DF on PMAs and processed meats notably include enhanced gel strength, emulsion stability, improved water-holding capacity, and the formation of a uniform, porous microstructure. DF also commonly enhances textural properties like hardness, chewiness, springiness, and cohesiveness. While the impact of DF on processed meats mirrors that of PMAs, selecting the right DF source for specific applications requires considering factors such as chemical structure, solubility, size, concentration, processing conditions, and interactions with other components to achieve the desired outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Based Alternatives to Meat Products: Innovative Processing Technologies and Their Future Perspectives)
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