What You Need to Know
The process relies on the shear‑thinning behavior of protein solutions (e.g., soy protein isolate 20 % w/v) to enable extrusion at 30–45 °C and 5–10 bar. Post‑extrusion crosslinking with divalent cations such as CaCl₂ or enzymatic agents like transglutaminase forms a stable hydrogel network, while maintaining temperatures below 70 °C prevents protein denaturation.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Ca²⁺‑mediated crosslinking of protein chains (and/or transglutaminase‑catalyzed amide bond formation)