Vegetarian or even vegan sausage and meat products sell like hot cakes – their sales have almost doubled. But what is inside meat substitute?
In the meantime, there is hardly a supermarket left that does not have vegetarian or vegan “meat” on the shelf. Whether burgers, schnitzel or sausages – the assortment is constantly growing, the sales also: According to the Federal Food Law and Food Science, the leading association of the German food industry, he rose in the last four years alone by 88 percent.
Even food manufacturers such as Rügenwalder mill or Wiesenhof, which are actually known for their meat and sausage products, have expanded their offer profitably, as Die Welt reports. Many of these meatless products are produced by the German Institute of Food Technology by extrusion – a process that is also used in the production of peanut flips.
With the help of pressure, heat, water and final cooling, the dough mass is created, which – unlike the flips – should at the end of its texture and the subsequent sensation in the mouth to meat of pork, beef, poultry or fish. The institute researched this technique, which is used worldwide today, for ten years.
Of course, the meat substitutes are not, because in addition to soybean meal and other ingredients, they also contain dyes and flavor enhancers. Actually not surprising with such elaborately processed foods. But many consumers prefer to hide this aspect. Vegetarians and vegans often lack important vitamin B12. Anyone who wants to eat meatless and yet balanced and fully-fledged, should therefore seek advice and supplement the missing nutrients with appropriate preparations.