Plant Protein Heat-Induced Gels: Formation Mechanisms and Regulatory Strategies

Abstract

With increasing awareness of human health, proteins from plant sources are being considered as alternatives to those from animal sources. The market for plant-based meat substitutes is expanding to satisfy the growing consumer demand. However, the functional properties of natural proteins frequently do not satisfy the needs of the modern food industry, which requires high-quality properties. Research on improving the functional properties of proteins is currently a popular topic. Based on the gel properties of proteins, this study focused on the formation mechanism of heat-induced protein gels, which will be helpful in expanding the market for plant protein gel products. Regulatory strategies for heat-induced gels were reviewed, including protein composition, pH, ionic strength, other food components, and processing techniques. The effects of other food components (such as polysaccharides, proteins, polyphenols, and liposomes) are discussed to provide insights into the properties of plant protein gels. Studies have shown that these factors can effectively improve the properties of plant protein gels. In addition, the development and application potential of emerging processing technologies that can contribute to safe and effective applications in actual food production are discussed. For the future, plant protein gels are playing an irreplaceable role in the new direction of future food.