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. 2024 Sep 19;13(18):2962.
doi: 10.3390/foods13182962.

Spinning a Sustainable Future: Electrospun Polysaccharide-Protein Fibers for Plant-Based Meat Innovation

Letícia G da Trindade  1 , Letícia Zanchet  2 , Fabiana Perrechil Bonsanto  1 , Anna Rafaela Cavalcante Braga  1   3
Affiliations

Spinning a Sustainable Future: Electrospun Polysaccharide-Protein Fibers for Plant-Based Meat Innovation

Letícia G da Trindade et al. Foods. .

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of producing electrospun fibers by combining polysaccharides, zein, and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) to simulate the fibers applied in plant-based meat analogs. The rheological properties of biopolymer solutions were evaluated, and the electrospun fibers were characterized according to their morphology, structural interactions, and thermal analysis. The results indicated that the fibers prepared in a ratio of 90:10 of zein/carrageenan from the mixture of a solution containing 23 wt.% of zein with a solution containing 1 wt.% of carrageenan and with the addition of 1 wt.% of PEO presented a promising structure for application as fibers in meat analogs because they have a more hydrophilic surface. Thus, they have good moisture retention. In addition, they have good thermal stability at high temperatures, which is crucial to achieve a consistent and pleasant texture. Furthermore, it was observed that adding zein and PEO helps with the spinnability of the polysaccharides, producing fibers with good homogeneity.

Keywords: electrospinning; meat analogs; texture.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the study’s design; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Viscosity as a function of shear rate (a) and log–log plot of the viscosity as a function of shear rate (b) for zein (23 wt.%)/PEO (0.3 wt.%), zein (23 wt.%)/PEO (1 wt.%), zein/alginate (90:10)/PEO 0.3%, and zein/alginate (90:10)/PEO 1% polymer solutions.
Figure 2
Figure 2
ATR-FTIR spectra of zein powder, PEO powder, alginate powder, Z23P03, and Z-A/(90:10)/P03) (a); and Z23P1, Z-A/(80:20)/P1, Z-A/(85:15)/P1, and Z-A/(90:10)/P1 (b).
Figure 3
Figure 3
SEM images of Z23P03 (a), Z-A (90:10)/P03 (b), Z23P1 (c) Z-A (90:10)/P1 (d), Z-A (85:15)/P1 (e), and Z-A (80:20)/P1 (f) and their respective fiber diameters.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The contact angles of Z23P03, Z23P1, Z-A (90:10)/P03, Z-A (80:20)/P-1, Z-A (85:15)/P1, and Z-A (90:10)/P1 fibers.
Figure 5
Figure 5
TG analysis of zein powder, PEO powder, alginate powder, Z23P03, Z-A/(80:20)/P03, Z-A/(85:15)/P03, and Z-A/(90:10)/P03 (a); TG analysis of zein powder, PEO powder, alginate powder, Z23P1, Z-A/(80:20)/P1, Z-A/(85:15)/P1, and Z-A/(90:10)/P1(b).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Viscosity as a function of shear rate (a) and log–log plot of the viscosity as a function of shear rate (b) for zein/PEO and zein/carrageenan/PEO solutions at different PEO concentrations.
Figure 7
Figure 7
ATR-FTIR spectra of zein powder, PEO powder, carrageenan powder, Z23P03, and Z-C/(90:10)/P03 (a); and zein powder, PEO powder, carrageenan powder, Z23P1, Z-C/(80:20)/P1, Z-C/(85:15)/P1, and Z-C/(90:10)/P19 (b).
Figure 8
Figure 8
SEM images of Z23P03 (a), Z-C (90:10)/P03 (b), Z23P1 (c), Z-C (90:10)/P1 (d), Z-C (85:15)/P1 (e), and Z-C (80:20)/P1 (f) fibers and their respective fiber diameters.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Contact angles of Z23P03, Z23P1, Z-C(90:10)/P03, Z-C(80:20)/P1, Z-C(85:15)/P1, and Z-C (90:10)/P1 fibers.
Figure 10
Figure 10
TG analysis of zein powder, PEO powder, carrageenan powder, Z23P03, and Z-C(90:10)/P03 (a) and zein powder, PEO powder, carrageenan powder, Z23P1, Z-C(80:20)/P1, Z-C(85:15)/P1, and Z-C(90:10)/P1(b).
Figure 11
Figure 11
Viscosity as a function of shear rate (a,b) and log–log plot of the viscosity as a function of shear rate (c,d) for zein/PEO and zein/pectin/PEO solutions at different PEO concentrations.
Figure 12
Figure 12
ATR-FTIR spectra of zein powder, PEO powder, LM pectin powder, Z23P03, and Z-PLM (90:10)/P03 (a); zein powder, PEO powder, LM pectin powder, Z23P1, Z-PLM (80:20)/P1, Z-PLM (85:15)/P1, and Z-PLM (90:10)/P1 (b); zein powder, PEO powder, LM pectin powder, Z23P03, and Z-PB (90:10)/P03; and zein powder, PEO powder, LM pectin powder, Z23P03, Z-PB (80:20)/P1, Z-PB (80:20)/P1, Z-PB (85:15)/P1, and Z-PB (90:10)/P1.
Figure 13
Figure 13
SEM images of Z23P03 (a), Z-PLM (90:10)/P03 (b), Z23P1 (c), Z-PLM (90:10)/P1 (d), Z-PLM (85:15)/P1 (e), and Z-PLM (80:20)/P1 (f) fibers and their respective fiber diameters.
Figure 14
Figure 14
SEM images of Z23P03 (a), Z-PHM (90:10)/P03 (b), Z23P1 (c), Z-HM (90:10)/P1 (d), Z-PHM (85:15)/P1 (e), and Z-PHM (80:20)/P1 (f) fibers and their respective fiber diameters.
Figure 15
Figure 15
Contact angle of Z23P03, Z23P1, Z-PLM (90:10)/P03, Z-PLM (80:20)/P1, Z-PLM (85:15)/P1, and Z-PLM (90:10)/P1 (a) and Z23P03, Z23P1, Z-PHM (90:10)/P03, Z-PHM (80:20)/P1, Z-PHM (85:15)/P1, and Z-PHM (90:10)/P1 (b) fibers.
Figure 16
Figure 16
TG analysis of zein powder, PEO powder, LM pectin powder, Z23P03, and Z-PLM(90:10)/P03 (a); zein powder, PEO powder, LM pectin powder, Z23P03, Z-PLM/(80:20)P1, Z-PLM(85:15)/P1, and Z-PLM(90:10)/P1 (b); zein powder, PEO powder, HM pectin powder, Z23P03, and Z-PB(90:10)/P03 (c); and zein powder, PEO powder, HM pectin powder, Z23P1, Z-PB/(80:20)/P1, Z-PHM(85:15)/P1, and Z-PHM(90:10)/P1 (d).
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