Vol. 9, Issue 5, Part D (2024)

The increasing demand for meat substitutes derived from non-animal proteins has spurred food companies to explore innovative approaches to satisfy consumer expectations. Plant-based meat analogues (PBMA) are meticulously designed to closely replicate the organoleptic qualities of traditional meat products. This study aimed to develop PBMA nuggets, evaluate their storage stability, and compare them with chicken nuggets. The findings revealed that PBMA nuggets exhibited significantly lower moisture and fat content, alongside significantly higher levels of protein, carbohydrate, crude fibre, and ash compared to chicken nuggets. Furthermore, the PBMA nuggets demonstrated a markedly higher content of PUFA and UFA, coupled with significantly lower proportion of MUFA relative to chicken nuggets. The PUFA/SFA and UFA/SFA ratios were also notably elevated in the PBMA nuggets. During storage at -18±1 °C for 60 days, an increase in TBARS, free fatty acids (FFA), and total plate counts (TPC) was observed, while a decline in pH was recorded.