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Creating plant-based seafood alternatives that replicate the flavors, textures, and nutritional profiles of traditional marine products presents a unique challenge for researchers. In particular, the quest to imitate fried calamari—a dish noted for its neutral flavor and firm, chewy texture—has proven difficult. Recent research published in ACS Food Science & Technology details a breakthrough where a team successfully crafted a plant-based substitute that closely mirrors the softness and elasticity characteristic of genuine calamari.
Earlier, a group led by Poornima Vijayan and Dejian Huang introduced air-fried vegan calamari rings made from a unique blend of 3D-printed microalgae and mung bean proteins during the ACS Fall 2023 meeting. While the initial vegan calamari had an acceptable taste, its texture fell short of expectations. To address this, the researchers refined their formulation and printing process, resulting in a product that better resembles authentic calamari when battered and deep-fried, a common preparation method for the dish.
The team experimented with various formulations of their printable paste, adjusting the quantities of mung bean protein isolate, light-yellow microalgae powder, gellan gum (a thickening agent), and canola oil. Using a food-grade 3D printer, they created rings approximately 1.8 inches wide (4.5 centimeters). In this iteration, they opted to freeze the rings overnight before battering and quickly deep-frying them, a step that previous iterations did not include.
In laboratory analyses, the researchers focused on several chewiness-related properties of the cooked samples, including hardness, springiness, and cohesiveness. The most successful deep-fried product achieved a texture closest to traditional calamari through a formulation containing 1.5% gellan gum, 2% canola oil, and 10% powdered microalgae. Microscopic examinations revealed that this version’s soft structure was enhanced by small voids within, making it more comparable to its seafood counterpart. Furthermore, the optimal recipe indicated that the plant-based product could contain a protein percentage of 19%, surpassing the protein content in squid, which is usually around 14%.
Vijayan, the lead author of the study, emphasized the significance of this research, stating, “This work highlights the potential of 3D printing to convert sustainable plant proteins such as mung bean and microalgae into seafood analogues that match traditional textures.” Looking ahead, the team plans to assess consumer acceptance of their product and explore ways to scale up the formulation for wider use.
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