With the world’s population projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, the need for resilient and sustainable food systems is becoming increasingly apparent. Our current trajectory of heavy reliance on meat consumption poses major challenges to both environmental sustainability and public health. Meat production is a major contributor to climate change, responsible for 25% of greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss and freshwater depletion. The urgent need to transition to alternative protein sources is clear and urgent.
Rapidly growing populations and an expanding middle class in developing regions are driving demand for protein and increasing strain on global resources. Addressing these concerns will not only be key to diversifying protein sources, but also ensuring that these alternatives are attractive enough to consumers to drive a transformation in global diets.
Recognizing the critical role of innovation, plant protein texturization through extrusion technology continues to emerge as a promising solution. The process has the potential to replicate the texture and taste of meat, allowing plant protein products to become a viable and desirable option. Extrusion technology is divided into two main methodologies, high moisture extrusion (HME) and low moisture extrusion (LME), each with their own unique advantages that serve different aspects of the plant-based foods sector.
© Buehler
High Moisture Extrusion
High moisture extrusion (HME) is an advanced process designed to create plant-based textures that closely resemble meat. The technology operates at high moisture levels, typically above 50%, which is key to creating the fibrous, tender texture characteristic of animal muscle. By applying heat and shear forces in the extrusion barrel, followed by aligning protein fibers in a cooling die, HME transforms protein-rich ingredients into a “meat-like” matrix that can be further processed into a variety of shapes and forms that resemble meat products.
Bühler, a global leader in food processing technologies, offers a comprehensive portfolio of solutions to support the development and production of plant proteins using high moisture extrusion methods. Catering to both R&D and large-scale production, Bühler’s portfolio includes a range of cooling dies designed to meet the diverse needs of producers. For example, for R&D purposes and pilot-scale production, Bühler offers dedicated equipment (PolyCool 50) with low throughput capacities ranging from 10 to 50 kg/h. This scale allows for experimentation and optimization of product formulations and processes without committing to large-scale mass production.
Polycool 200 © Buehler
Once you’ve completed the pilot phase, you can take advantage of the modular PolyCool 200 with a 15 mm gap width, or the modular annular PolyCool 350, before stepping up to our flagship products, such as the PolyCool 500 and PolyCool 1000. These robust, high-capacity machines are designed to meet the demands of large-scale production, capable of producing 500-1000 kg/h of textured proteins. This high-throughput capability allows manufacturers to efficiently scale their operations while maintaining the critical quality and consistency required for commercial success. When higher capacities are required, solutions are available and can be quickly implemented into your production process.
The flexibility of Bühler’s equipment portfolio allows producers to seamlessly scale production from early product development to full market deployment, providing the agility to respond to surging demand for sustainable plant-based protein alternatives. At the heart of HME production, the PolyCool 500 and PolyCool 1000 enable Bühler customers to make great strides toward a sustainable and safe food future.
The ability to control texture is essential in HME processes, especially when the goal is to mimic sensory appeal. Bühler’s PolyCool utilizes innovative breaker plates to refine the texture of plant proteins. These perforated plates change the flow dynamics and allow for the formation of complex macro-textures. By customizing breaker plates to customer requirements, products can closely mimic the fibrous nature of meats such as beef, chicken or fish.
Protein Aeration Technology + Breaker Plate © Bühler
Additionally, Buehler’s pioneering protein aeration technology, currently patent pending, complements texturization capabilities by incorporating gas directly into the extrudate. This innovation creates a lighter, tender product with improved mouthfeel and a more natural appearance suitable for marinating. These texture control mechanisms allow the PolyCool portfolio to enable a high degree of customization of plant-based meat alternatives, providing producers with the tools to create a variety of textures, from tender and juicy to firm and flaky, directly from the cooling die. These texturization advances are transformative, significantly increasing the consumer appeal of meat alternatives and marking a major step towards more sustainable and appealing protein options.
Low moisture extrusion
Low moisture extrusion (LME) is another key technology in the growing field of plant protein production. Unlike high moisture extrusion, which focuses on creating a meat-like texture with high moisture content, LME operates at much lower moisture levels (typically 15-30%). This process is particularly advantageous for producing a variety of textured vegetable proteins (TVPs) and fibrous structures suitable for dry applications such as cereal bars, snacks, and of course meat analogues.
Bühler’s approach to LME emphasizes versatility and efficiency. It requires a deep understanding of the complexities of low moisture extrusion and a process that can handle the intense mechanical shear and reduced moisture content required to achieve the desired expansion and texturization of plant proteins. The applied system must ensure consistent cooking, optimal texturization, precise forming and, ultimately, the low moisture content achieved by our drying solutions results in a high-quality consumer product with a long shelf life.
Utilizing specific die designs and screw profiles, Bühler’s LME equipment enhances manufacturers’ ability to fine-tune texture and shape, ensuring the resulting TVP has the right density and chewiness to suit consumer preferences. From granules and chunks to flakes and strips, the flexibility of Bühler’s low moisture extrusion technology enables manufacturers to diversify their product offerings and expand into new market segments, while also addressing demand for protein-rich, sustainable food options.
DryTex Soy Chunks © Bühler
Bühler’s commitment to advancing LME technology not only underscores its leadership in plant-based protein processing, but also reflects its dedication to providing scalable solutions, so that as demand for sustainable and diverse protein products grows, producers can trust Bühler to help them enter and expand into this dynamic and expanding market.
To strengthen this strategic vision, Bühler has introduced the DryTex chunk and chip die to its LME portfolio, setting a new processing option for dry or semi-moist textured proteins. This innovative die design enables producers to create long, fibrous, meaty plant proteins that are ideal for a variety of applications. The development of the DryTex die helps meet growing demands for more authentic and diverse plant-based food experiences while keeping up with the latest market trends. With innovations like this, Bühler continues to help customers not only meet but drive consumer demand in forward-thinking industries.
Outlook
The alternative protein market will develop further in the coming years, calling for more efficient and precise process technologies to produce complex meat substitutes. The process solutions presented here are a snapshot of Bühler’s research and development pipeline, but Bühler is constantly innovating to support the large-scale transition to sustainable alternative protein sources. As a strong technology partner, we are co-developing the future of protein together with our customers. We are therefore proud to enable our individual process solutions to enable our customers to actively customize their meat substitute products, not only in terms of texture but also in terms of efficient processing, and advance in the alternative protein market.
For more information, please visit https://www.buhlergroup.com/global/en/industries/Extrusion-solutions/Alternative-Proteins.html.
