EXT4VEG

Objective

The overall objective of the EXT4VEG project is to research the generation of plant-based structures analogous to muscle fibre of animal origin through extrusion technology and to study technological solutions to obtain new alternatives for final products analogous to meat and fish products.

Activities

1. Documentary research on high- and low-moisture extrusion technology. Selection and procurement of working materials.
2. Experimental development to obtain protein food structures using low- and high-moisture extrusion
3. Data capture and labelling infrastructure for the digital simulation of the extrusion process
4. Experimental study to obtain fish and meat analogues through the application of downstream operations
5. Dissemination and Communication
6. Transfer and promotion of results
7. Management and coordination

Results

• Selection of a total of 8 base protein structures obtained with low-moisture (TVP) and high-moisture (HMEC) extrusion, for the development of products analogous to those of animal origin and identification of the extrusion process conditions required to obtain them. The proteins that make up the selected structures are: Mung bean, Pea, Oat, Rice, Sunflower and Microalgae.
• Obtaining up to 8 plant-based product prototypes analogous to meat or fish products: Breaded fish sticks, Cod rinds, Pulled Pork and Chicken skewers, with HMEC; and Cod meatballs, Fish pancakes, Chorizo tacos and Scrambled black pudding with pine nuts, with TVP.
• Development of a digital infrastructure that enables the documentation, organisation and labelling of the dataset obtained from the different experiments with the extrusion equipment. Management-decision support and process visualisation software: a tool to facilitate data analysis and correlations between independent and dependent variables, and product quality.

Dissemination/Transfer

• Poster

Press releases

• AINIA will develop 12 R&D projects in 2023
• AINIA researches legumes, cereals and microalgae to achieve meat and fish analogue products
• AINIA obtains meat and fish analogue products

Outreach articles

• New protein sources are being sought to meet consumer needs
• New protein sources are being sought to meet consumer needs
• New plant-based alternatives to meat and fish through extrusion technology

News for AINIA Network companies

• A total of 24 AINIA Network companies will participate in 12 R&D projects in 2023

Internal dissemination

• The 12 ERDF projects submitted to IVACE have been approved
• We have submitted 12 proposals to the IVACE-ERDF 2022 call for grants
• We celebrate Consumer Rights Day
• We share the results of 4 IVACE ERDF projects (video)

Media dissemination

Radio Intereconomía interview: Pura Radio programme

Report in INFORMATIVO REDIT October 2023

Video

New plant-based alternatives to meat and fish through extrusion technology