Effects of Cross-Linking Enzymes plus Polysaccharides on the Quality Improvement of Plant-Based Meat Patties

To solve the problems of poor textural fidelity and flavor quality of plant-based meat patties and to improve their quality, this study developed a novel formulation of plant-based meat patties with combined addition of crosslinking enzymes (transglutaminase (TGase), laccase) and different polysaccharides (chitosan, konjac gum, and xanthan gum). The results showed that polysaccharide addition significantly improved the sensory, color, textural properties, and water-retention capacity of the patties, with the effect being most pronounced at 3% polysaccharide concentration. Combined addition of crosslinking enzymes with polysaccharides was found to increase the sensory score of plant-based meat patties; 2.0 g/kg of TGase or 2.0 g/kg of laccase plus 3% chitosan improved the color, hardness, elasticity, chewiness, and water-holding capacity, and reduced thawing loss and lipid peroxidation levels. Electronic nose analysis showed that addition of 2.0 g/kg of TGase and 3% chitosan masked the beany odor. Furthermore, the mechanism by which the optimal treatment improved the quality of plant-based meat patties was investigated. It was shown that chitosan plus crosslinking enzyme treatment significantly increased the content of disulfide bonds in samples, resulting in a more compact internal structure. Moreover, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed that crosslinking enzyme plus chitosan treatment significantly increased the contents of 1-octen-3-ol (responsible for mushroom flavor), 2-pentyl-furan (responsible for sweet flavor) and hexanoic acid (contributing to fatty flavor) in plant-based patties, while inhibiting the formation of typical off-flavor compounds such as (E)-2-hexenal and 2-hexenal. Based on the findings of the present study, TGase or laccase plus chitosan treatment can effectively improve the quality of plant-based patties, which provides a theoretical basis for the formulation improvement of plant-based meat patties.