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Textured vegetable protein Textured or texturized vegetable protein , also
known as textured soy protein , soy meat, or soya chunks is a defatted soy flour product,
a by-product of extracting soybean oil. It is often used as a meat analogue or meat extender.
It is quick to cook, with a protein content equal to that of meat. Textured vegetable
protein was invented by the agricultural commodities and food processing company Archer Daniels
Midland in the 1960s; the company owns the TVP name as a registered trademark. Archer
Daniels Midland had developed a textured soy protein isolate made with an extruder in the
shape of rods or tubes. The soy protein isolate was produced in a small pilot plant and sold
to one or two customers for use in chili, but the product was not commercially successful.
In September 1965, Dwayne O. Andreas and his brother Lowell took over leadership of Archer
Daniels Midland. The brothers possessed extensive experience in the soybean processing industry.
Dwayne Andreas was greatly impressed with TVP and its potential. Although, at the time,
TVP was being produced only in the company's laboratories, Andreas could envision a host
of potential uses for TVP, ranging from a meat extender to a low-cost protein source
in a wide variety of foods. Under Andreas's leadership, TVP use expanded in the U.S.;
by 1968, it was widely used in a variety of food products, and consumption skyrocketed
after 1971, when TVP was approved for use in school lunch programs. By 1980, similar
products were being produced by rival companies in America, but Archer Daniels Midland remained
the leader in TVP production. Manufacturing process
TVP is usually made from high (50%) soy protein soy flour or concentrate, but can also be
made from cotton seeds, wheat, and oats. It is extruded into various shapes (chunks, flakes,
nuggets, grains, and strips) and sizes, exiting the nozzle while still hot and expanding as
it does so. The defatted thermoplastic proteins are heated to 150–200°C, which denatures
them into a fibrous, insoluble, porous network that can soak up as much as three times its
weight in liquids. As the pressurized molten protein mixture exits the extruder, the sudden
drop in pressure causes rapid expansion into a puffy solid that is then dried. As much
as 50% protein when dry, TVP can be rehydrated at a 2:1 ratio, which drops the percentage
of protein to an approximation of ground meat at 16%. TVP is primarily used as a meat substitute
due to its very low cost at less than a third the price of ground beef, and when cooked
together will help retain more weight from the meat by absorbing juices normally lost.
Many TVP producers use hexane to separate soy fat from soy protein, and trace amounts
of the solvent are left after manufacturing. But the few rodent studies that have been
done suggest it would be almost impossible to get enough hexane from TVP to cause harm.
Properties TVP can be made from soy flour or concentrate,
containing 50% and 70% soy protein, respectively; they have a mild beany flavor. Both require
rehydration before use, sometimes with flavoring added in the same step. TVP is extruded, causing
a change in the structure of the soy protein which results in a fibrous, spongy matrix,
similar in texture to meat. In its dehydrated form, TVP has a shelf life of longer than
a year, but will spoil within several days after being hydrated. In its flaked form,
it can be used similarly to ground meat. Uses
Textured vegetable protein is a versatile substance; different forms allow it to take
on the texture of whatever ground meat it is substituting. Using TVP, one can make vegetarian
or vegan versions of traditional meat dishes, such as chili con carne, spaghetti bolognese,
sloppy joes, tacos, burgers, or burritos. Soy protein can also be used as a low cost/high
nutrition extender in comminuted meat and poultry products, and in tuna salads. Food
service, retail and institutional (primarily school lunch and correctional) facilities
regularly use such "extended" products. Extension may result in diminished flavor, but fat and
cholesterol are reduced. Textured vegetable protein can be found in
natural food stores and larger supermarkets, usually in the bulk section. TVP is also very
lightweight and is often used in backpacking recipes. Because of its relatively low cost,
high protein content, and long shelf life, TVP is often used in prisons and schools,
as well as for disaster preparedness.