{"id":20140,"date":"2024-07-15T07:00:42","date_gmt":"2024-07-15T12:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/?p=20140"},"modified":"2024-09-02T16:26:13","modified_gmt":"2024-09-02T21:26:13","slug":"how-is-plant-based-meat-made","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/world-food-drink\/how-is-plant-based-meat-made\/","title":{"rendered":"How Is Plant-Based Meat Made?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><strong>Listen to This Article:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"elevenlabs-audionative-widget\" data-height=\"90\" data-width=\"100%\" data-frameborder=\"no\" data-scrolling=\"no\" data-publicuserid=\"d443feec80bf8c8f2e009e26dafa4118e6eb9f14056a5516af577c77d4404c4e\" data-playerurl=\"https:\/\/elevenlabs.io\/player\/index.html\" data-projectid=\"tGicVTc55vWqGbbIAydm\">Loading the <a href=\"https:\/\/elevenlabs.io\/text-to-speech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Elevenlabs Text to Speech<\/a> AudioNative Player&#8230;<\/div>\n<p><script src=\"https:\/\/elevenlabs.io\/player\/audioNativeHelper.js\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>All the buzz about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/world-food-drink\/what-exactly-is-a-plant-based-diet-and-is-it-right-for-you\/\">plant-based diets<\/a> may have left you with some questions:<\/p>\n<p><em>Is a plant-based lifestyle really healthier? Does plant-based meat taste like real meat? How is plant-based meat actually made?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Believe it or not, plant-based meats are made with a variety of common ingredients \u2014 some of which can taste nearly indistinguishable from real meat. Let\u2019s unpack just how plant-based meat products are made and whether they\u2019re a healthier option overall.<\/p>\n<h2>How Is Plant-Based Meat Processed?<\/h2>\n<p>Plant-based meat is just what it sounds like, a substitute for animal-based meat that uses no animal products and is primarily made of vegetables, grains, and legumes. <a href=\"https:\/\/investors.beyondmeat.com\/news-releases\/news-release-details\/brand-new-beyond-burgerr-launches-grocery-stores-nationwide#:~:text=The%20Beyond%20Burger%3A%20A%20Global,sold%20in%20the%20meat%20case.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Beyond Burger<\/a>, the self-proclaimed \u201cfirst plant-based burger designed to look, cook and taste like animal meat and sold in the meat case,\u201d created a recipe with peas, mung beans, and brown rice \u2014 known as a \u201ccomplete protein\u201d as it contains all nine essential amino acids. <a href=\"https:\/\/impossiblefoods.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Impossible Burgers<\/a>, another brand that launched its burger product in 2016, are designed to taste like regular beef patties \u2014 and actually \u201cbleed\u201d due to the ingredient soy leghemoglobin. Other meat-mimicking ingredients include tofu, tempeh, and seitan.<\/p>\n<p>While each type and brand varies in its precise process, there are a few facets that plant-based meat companies focus on when manufacturing their products.<\/p>\n<h3>Ingredients<\/h3>\n<p>Products that are labeled \u201cplant-based\u201d generally don\u2019t include animal products \u2014 although this isn\u2019t necessarily guaranteed. A plant-based meat manufacturer\u2019s first job is to gather ingredients that will both meet this criteria and mix well together. The foundational elements in plant-based meat are a protein of some sort (like tofu, tempeh, or soy), plant oils (like sunflower or canola oil), and a vegan binding agent (like flour, aquafaba, or beans).<\/p>\n<h3>Consistency<\/h3>\n<p>Plant-based meats seek to mimic animal-based meat, and that includes texture. When companies source their ingredients and test their recipes, they\u2019re focused on what will most optimally form into the desired end product \u2014 whether that\u2019s meant to be crispy coconut bacon strips, stringy jackfruit pulled pork, or juicy red beet patties.<\/p>\n<p>The process of crafting some of these products involves machines like slicers and spiralizers, as well as extrusion technology, which exposes the plant-based proteins to thermal and mechanical stresses to render them more \u201craw.\u201d An extruder feeds ingredients through a stationary barrel and a revolving screw mechanism, either with or without heat, to knead and ultimately compress the product. Other manufacturers use wet texturization technology (which involves adding significant amounts of moisture during the extrusion process) plus starches and fibers that create a stringy, sinewy texture.<\/p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-20142\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Plant-based-tacos-with-sour-cream-and-avocado-sit-on-a-black-plate_768.jpg\" alt=\"Plant-based tacos with sour cream and avocado sit on a black plate\" width=\"768\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Plant-based-tacos-with-sour-cream-and-avocado-sit-on-a-black-plate_768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Plant-based-tacos-with-sour-cream-and-avocado-sit-on-a-black-plate_768-240x300.jpg 240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\n<h3>Flavor<\/h3>\n<p>Of course, a plant-based food product will only sell if it tastes as good as \u2014 or better than \u2014 the real thing. Thus, plant-based meat manufacturers are always looking for ways to enhance base ingredients, like vegetables and legumes, with flavor. This often means the use of copious seasonings and spices, yeast extracts, enhancers like nut-based sauces and mushrooms, and coconut oil. Due to various ingredients and processes used, some brands of plant-based meat have actually accomplished the flavor of real meat&#8230; while others taste similar but not quite like the real thing.<\/p>\n\n\t<div class=\"blog-quote\">\n\t\t<div class=\"the-quote\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"quotes\">\u201c<\/div>\n\t\t\t\u201cBy adopting a more plant-centric diet, you&#8217;re going to be forced to be more creative, or you&#8217;re going to be forced to investigate ingredients that you never thought you&#8217;d cook with. And as a result, I think it&#8217;s actually kind of an expansion of your culinary capacities to cook plant-based.\u201d\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"author \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Escoffier-Graduate-Shane-Witter-Hicks.png\"\n\t\t\t\t\t     alt=\"Shane Witters Hicks\"\n\t\t\t\t\t     width=\"150\" height=\"150\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Shane Witters Hicks<\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEscoffier Boulder Graduate, Culinary Specialist, Hungry Planet\u00ae\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<h3>Appearance<\/h3>\n<p>One of the goals that recipe researchers have is to find ways of making processed plant-based meat actually <em>look<\/em> like real meat. A method that manufacturers have recently begun to use is extrudable fat technology. This process involves forcing soft fats through a machine called an extruder, which changes its texture. The fat is then added to the plant-based protein so that there\u2019s no separation. This has various effects, like marbling, which mimics animal meat.<\/p>\n<h2>Are Plant-Based Meats Healthier Than Animal Products?<\/h2>\n<p>So now that you know more about what goes into the process of making plant-based meat, the question remains: <em>are these products healthier?<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_39910\" style=\"width: 778px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39910\" class=\"wp-image-39910 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/A-black-bean-burger-in-a-bun-with-vegetables-cut-into-a-cross-section.-768.jpeg\" alt=\"A black bean burger in a bun with vegetables cut into a cross section. \" width=\"768\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/A-black-bean-burger-in-a-bun-with-vegetables-cut-into-a-cross-section.-768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/A-black-bean-burger-in-a-bun-with-vegetables-cut-into-a-cross-section.-768-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/A-black-bean-burger-in-a-bun-with-vegetables-cut-into-a-cross-section.-768-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/A-black-bean-burger-in-a-bun-with-vegetables-cut-into-a-cross-section.-768-125x125.jpeg 125w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-39910\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Black bean burger made by Escoffier Online Culinary Arts student Michael T.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Generally speaking, yes, plant-based options tend to have a higher nutritional value due to the number of vegetables and other plant proteins within them. They typically don\u2019t have as much saturated fat as real meat, and they\u2019re often \u2014 but not always \u2014 lower in calories. They may also contain more dietary fiber.<\/p>\n<p>Some plant-based meats even have more protein per serving than regular meat, which can help people reach their recommended serving of protein per day and stay fuller longer. But they may lack essential amino acids found in \u201ccomplete\u201d animal proteins. So, it\u2019s a good practice to look for plant-based products that use \u201ccomplete\u201d plant proteins, like soybeans or quinoa. Additionally, it can be helpful to consume a diverse, nutrient-dense diet in general.<\/p>\n<p>However, remember that some commercially available plant-based meats are, after all, highly processed to help with preservation of flavor or prevent perishing. So for those looking to stick to a paleo diet or incorporate whole foods, processed plant-based meats aren\u2019t necessarily the \u201cpurest\u201d option. Also, be on the lookout for additives \u2014 all those ingredients added to enhance taste, like salt, sugar, refined coconut oil, and more. This can tip plant-based meats into the high or very high categories in terms of sodium or fat content.<\/p>\n<h2>Honing Your Plant-Based Culinary Techniques<\/h2>\n<p>Whether you yourself practice a plant-based lifestyle or you\u2019re interested in serving plant-based foods to others, it\u2019s important to know how the increasingly popular plant-based meat products are made. And learning the science behind plant-based cooking and the different nutritional profiles of plant-based products is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/culinary-arts\/plant-based-vs-vegan-why-chefs-need-to-know-the-difference\/\">crucial for a career<\/a> in this industry niche.<\/p>\n\n\t<div class=\"blog-quote\">\n\t\t<div class=\"the-quote\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"quotes\">\u201c<\/div>\n\t\t\t&#8220;The Plant-Based program has been so much fun. I knew how to cook but the business management classes, learning proper techniques, and receiving chef feedback has given me more confidence to move forward.&#8221;\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"author no-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Pam Lim<\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOnline Plant-Based Culinary Arts Graduate\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<p>If you want to learn how to prepare plant-based meat dishes for a professional setting, like a vegan restaurant or as a recipe researcher, you may need specialized training. Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts offers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/plant-based-programs\/\">Plant-Based Culinary Arts Diplomas and Associate Degrees<\/a>, either online or on-campus in Boulder, Colorado. Check out the program and get your start on a plant-based career today!<\/p>\n\t\n\t<h3 class=\"additional-articles-heading\">INTERESTED IN ALL THINGS PLANT-BASED? TRY THESE ARTICLES NEXT:<\/h3>\n\n\t\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/culinary-arts\/plant-based-vs-vegan-why-chefs-need-to-know-the-difference\/\">Plant-Based vs. Vegan: Why Chefs Need to Know the Difference<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/culinary-arts\/understanding-plant-based-meat-substitutes\/\">How Plant-Based Meat Substitutes Are Changing the Way We Eat<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/food-entrepreneurship\/private-chef-on-going-plant-based-in-culinary-school-and-in-life\/\">Escoffier Graduate Talks About Going Plant-Based \u2014 in Culinary School and in Life<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With all the buzz about plant-based meat, you might have some questions about how it\u2019s made\u2026 and whether it\u2019s healthier than the real thing. Let\u2019s explore more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":39909,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1317],"tags":[1319,1374,491,221],"class_list":["post-20140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-food-drink","tag-plant-based","tag-sustainability","tag-vegan","tag-vegetarian"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How Is Plant-Based Meat Made? - Escoffier<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With all the buzz about plant-based meat, you might have some questions about how it\u2019s made\u2026 and whether it\u2019s healthier than the real thing. 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Let\u2019s explore more.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20140\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Escoffier\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-07-15T12:00:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-02T21:26:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/A-plant-based-burger-sits-on-a-wooden-block-1400.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"821\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Stephanie Michalak White\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/A-plant-based-burger-sits-on-a-wooden-block-1400.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Stephanie Michalak White\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How Is Plant-Based Meat Made? - Escoffier","description":"With all the buzz about plant-based meat, you might have some questions about how it\u2019s made\u2026 and whether it\u2019s healthier than the real thing. 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