Visualization of phase separation in extruded plant-based meat analogues through tomography

Important results from the project

The goal was to explore techniques for understanding vegan meat analogues with different healthy fat blends and what controls fiber formation. Consumers consider these products to be dry after cooking. The orientation of fat in the structure, as well as the organization of the protein fibers were evaluated using lab tomography, lab microscopy, neutron radiography. With X-ray tomography on ForMAX on MAXIV before and during heating, the properties of the fat could be best studied to mimic cooking.

Expected long term effects

The goal in food technology is to create healthy products that consumers appreciate. When it comes to plant-based meat analogues, the goal is to create a texture and mouthfeel that mimics animal-based products. In this project, it has been shown how the large-scale X-ray facility MAXIV can be used in two different ways as a support in product development to mimic a cooking process and chemical characterization to map the structure. This can be applied in the food industry to a higher extent.

Approach and implementation

Prototypes were manufactured and comparative characterization was done at lab before testing was done at synchrotron. It was relevant for AAK to understand the product in a cooking process, 4D tomography was done during heating. RISE, Exciscope and Lunds Universitet were able to support AAK in this. Neutrons could not provide information on the length scale that was found to be needed. Supplementary spectromicroscopy on SoftiMAX was done to confirm the position of the microstructures chemically.