Pea Fiber Improves Texture, Yield In Meat, Poultry

FAIRFIELD, N.J.A&B Ingredients' newly introduced Swelite® pea fiber improves product stability, texture and yield in meat and poultry final products.

Swelite is a multifunctional, non-genetically modified (GMO) pea fiber derived from the yellow pea through an extraction process that's specifically designed for use in ground meat and poultry products like patties, meatballs and nuggets. The fiber is also allergen-free, cholesterol-free, gluten-free and lactose-free. "Containing both dietary fiber and starch ingredients, Swelite can reduce cooking losses while improving stability in the processing of ground meat and poultry products," said Gil Bakal, managing director, A&B Ingredients. It also aides in the shape retention of such applications.

Studies show that the pea fiber replaces 50% to 100% of a protein source while improving juiciness, which enables the ground meat and poultry products to retain its shape after frying or baking. Shape retention is a result of the pea fiber's water-binding properties. Further, it can bind 10 parts of water by capillary uptake in cold conditions. Also, the gelatinization of the starch granules provides a supplementary buffer to the water binding capacity. Additionally, "Swelite acts as a meat extender, thus increasing product economy with the same texture and yield," Bakal added.

The pea fiber can be added dry after grinding and adding water in patties or meatball formulations that are high in meat, 80%. In formulations low in meat, 50%, a cold 1/5/5 pre-emulsion of Swelite and meat can be added at any time during the recipe of preparation. In formulations using texturized vegetable protein (TVP), pre-hydrated TVP, dry ingredients and Swelite can be added prior to the ground meat. Additional benefits of Swelite include the increase in product stability, decrease in cooking losses, reduced variations due to poultry quality by acting as a buffer for poultry variations, improved juiciness and stability while reducing cooking losses. For more information on fiber ingredients visit the digital issue Formulating with Fiber.