Exploring new plant-based products: Acceptance of sunflower meal as a protein source in meat alternative products

Apr 19, 2025Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Acceptance of sunflower meal as a plant protein in meat alternative products

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Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

Sunflower meal provides a high protein content of 20.10% and significant mineral contributions, including 95% of the recommended daily intake for magnesium.

Two formulations of meat alternative mixes (MAMs) were developed using sunflower meal: one with toasted sunflower kernels and another with texturized protein sunflower.
The MAMt formulation, which used texturized protein sunflower, was preferred for its superior texture in sensory evaluations.
MAMt contained 38.15% lipids, with 41.98% of these being monounsaturated fatty acids.
MAMt provided significant mineral content, including 49% of the recommended daily intake for iron and 68% for zinc.
All essential amino acids were present in MAMt, with lysine identified as the limiting amino acid at a score of 0.8.

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In response to growing consumer demand for sustainable and plant-based food options, sunflower meal, a byproduct of oil extraction, emerges as a promising protein source. This study explores the potential of sunflower semi-defatted meal to create meat alternative mixes (MAMs) with a balanced nutritional profile and desirable sensory attributes. Two MAM formulations were developed: one incorporating toasted sunflower kernels (MAMk) and the other utilizing texturized protein sunflower (MAMt). Both formulations were enriched with tomato powder, spices, and a lipid matrix comprising sunflower, olive, and linseed oils. The doughs were shaped into mini-burger format and baked. Sensory evaluation revealed a preference for the MAMt formulation, which exhibited superior texture. Physical-chemical analysis confirmed MAMt's nutritional value, highlighting its high lipid (38.15 %) particularly monounsaturated fatty acids (41.98 % of the total lipid composition) and protein (20.10 %) content all essential amino acids (lysine limiting amino acid with 0.8 score). Moreover, MAMt demonstrated significant mineral content, especially iron, zinc, magnesium, and manganese (49 %, 68 %, 95 % and 89 %, respectivally, regarding recommended daily intake). While further refinement is necessary to optimize flavor, the study underscores the potential of sunflower meal to contribute to a more sustainable food system and provide consumers with a nutritious and appealing plant-based protein alternative.

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Exploring new plant-based products: Acceptance of sunflower meal as a protein source in meat alternative products

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