Research Progress on Flavor Formation in Soy Protein-Based Meat Analogs

Plant-based meat products are new bionic foods for which industrial standards were formulated recently, and have tended to replace meat products in taste and flavor. The most common plant-based meat product is the one produced from soybean protein by the use of processing technologies such as extrusion, which has a meaty mouthfeel and flavor. Mouthfeel and flavor are important factors determining whether meat analogs can be accepted by consumers, and flavor is one of the first signals received by consumers. The market prospect of meat analogs is determined by whether the flavor is accepted by consumers. This paper introduces the flavor sources of soybean protein-based meat analogs, summarizes the effects of different processing factors on the flavor substances of soybean protein-based meat analogs, and discusses the retention mechanism of the flavor substances of soybean protein-based meat analogs, which will provide a basis for the research and development of the flavor of soybean protein-based meat analogs.