Textured soy protein with meat odor as an ingredient for improving the sensory quality of meat analog and soy burger

Even with the growing consumption of plant-based products, the consumption of soy-based products is still a limitation due to the off-flavor of soy. Thus, two studies were performed using textured soy protein (TSP) with meat odor as meat analog and as soy burger. TSP with meat odor was produced by adding thiamine (aroma precursor) to soy protein concentrate (SPC) before extrusion. Three TSP were used in each study: one without thiamine and two with thiamine but with different moisture contents of the SPC. TSP with thiamine did not affect technological or physical properties of the products. For meat analogs, the samples with thiamine showed greater odor acceptance and greater intensities of meat odor, burnt aftertaste, and aromatic in relation to the sample without thiamine, as well as lower intensity of soy odor. For soy burgers, the samples with thiamine had higher acceptances of odor and flavor and overall acceptance, and higher intensities of chicken odor and aromatic in comparison to the sample without thiamine, as well as lower intensity of soy/vegetable odor. The use of TSP with thiamine raises the sensory quality of meat analogue and soy burger, being an interesting alternative in obtaining soy-based products with lower soy odor.