A new study published in Food Chemistry found that patties made with hemp seed protein may come closer to beef than other plant-based alternatives when it comes to nutrition, safety and flavor.
Researchers from Guangdong Medical University and Changchun University of Chinese Medicine compared hemp seed protein meat patties to other plant-based protein patties as well as beef, examining everything from amino acid and fatty acid content to digestibility, storage stability and sensory qualities.
They found that the hemp-based patties were rich in essential amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids, while also outperforming the other plant-based patties on multiple measures of protein quality and digestibility. According to the study, the hemp patties had higher protein digestibility-corrected amino acid scores, metabolic amino acid digestibility and true ileal digestibility, indicating the protein was more efficiently broken down and absorbed.
The study also found favorable results on safety-related measures. Researchers reported low IgG and IgE reactivity, suggesting a relatively low sensitization risk, while tests of storage stability showed the patties maintained stable pH and carbonylation levels.
Flavor was another major focus. Using sensory evaluation and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry, the researchers found that the hemp patties had a flavor profile more similar to beef than the other plant-based products tested. The compounds most associated with that similarity were identified as 1,8-eucalyptol, octanal and 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine.
The researchers say the findings support hemp seed protein as a promising alternative food protein source, while also offering insights that could help improve plant-based meat products more broadly. As interest in alternative proteins continues to grow, the study adds to evidence that hemp may have a unique role to play in creating products that are not only nutritionally competitive, but also closer to beef in taste and overall performance.
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