Evaluating the Potential Safety Risk of Plant-Based Meat Analogues by Analyzing Microbial Community Composition

Plant-based meat analogues offer an environmentally and scientifically sustainable option as a substitute for animal-derived meat. They contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater consumption, and the potential risks associated with zoonotic diseases linked to livestock production. H...

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Main Authors: Dan Hai, Baodang Guo, Mingwu Qiao, Haisheng Jiang, Lianjun Song, Ziheng Meng, Xianqing Huang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-12-01
Series:Foods
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/1/117
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author Dan Hai
Baodang Guo
Mingwu Qiao
Haisheng Jiang
Lianjun Song
Ziheng Meng
Xianqing Huang
author_facet Dan Hai
Baodang Guo
Mingwu Qiao
Haisheng Jiang
Lianjun Song
Ziheng Meng
Xianqing Huang
author_sort Dan Hai
collection DOAJ
description Plant-based meat analogues offer an environmentally and scientifically sustainable option as a substitute for animal-derived meat. They contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater consumption, and the potential risks associated with zoonotic diseases linked to livestock production. However, specific processing methods such as extrusion or cooking, using various raw materials, can influence the survival and growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, resulting in differences between plant-based meat analogues and animal meat. In this study, the microbial communities in five different types of plant-based meat analogues were investigated using high-throughput sequencing. The findings revealed a diverse range of bacteria, including Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Actinobacteriota, and Chloroflexi, as well as fungi such as Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Phragmoplastophyta, Vertebrata, and Mucoromycota. Additionally, this study analyzed microbial diversity at the genus level and employed phenotype prediction to evaluate the relative abundance of various bacterium types, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, aerobic, anaerobic, and facultative anaerobic bacteria, as well as potential pathogenic bacteria. The insights gained from this study provide valuable information regarding the microbial communities and phenotypes of different plant-based meat analogues, which could help identify effective storage strategies to extend the shelf-life of these products.
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spelling doaj.art-cbde0aec80fa4169b321e4ae2f1f27222024-01-10T14:57:00ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582023-12-0113111710.3390/foods13010117Evaluating the Potential Safety Risk of Plant-Based Meat Analogues by Analyzing Microbial Community CompositionDan Hai0Baodang Guo1Mingwu Qiao2Haisheng Jiang3Lianjun Song4Ziheng Meng5Xianqing Huang6College of Food Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaCollege of Food Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaCollege of Food Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaHenan Engineering Technology Research Center of Food Processing and Circulation Safety Control, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaCollege of Food Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaCollege of Food Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaCollege of Food Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaPlant-based meat analogues offer an environmentally and scientifically sustainable option as a substitute for animal-derived meat. They contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater consumption, and the potential risks associated with zoonotic diseases linked to livestock production. However, specific processing methods such as extrusion or cooking, using various raw materials, can influence the survival and growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, resulting in differences between plant-based meat analogues and animal meat. In this study, the microbial communities in five different types of plant-based meat analogues were investigated using high-throughput sequencing. The findings revealed a diverse range of bacteria, including Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Actinobacteriota, and Chloroflexi, as well as fungi such as Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Phragmoplastophyta, Vertebrata, and Mucoromycota. Additionally, this study analyzed microbial diversity at the genus level and employed phenotype prediction to evaluate the relative abundance of various bacterium types, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, aerobic, anaerobic, and facultative anaerobic bacteria, as well as potential pathogenic bacteria. The insights gained from this study provide valuable information regarding the microbial communities and phenotypes of different plant-based meat analogues, which could help identify effective storage strategies to extend the shelf-life of these products.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/1/117high-throughput sequencingbacterial and fungal communityphenotype predictingfood safety
spellingShingle Dan Hai
Baodang Guo
Mingwu Qiao
Haisheng Jiang
Lianjun Song
Ziheng Meng
Xianqing Huang
Evaluating the Potential Safety Risk of Plant-Based Meat Analogues by Analyzing Microbial Community Composition
Foods
high-throughput sequencing
bacterial and fungal community
phenotype predicting
food safety
title Evaluating the Potential Safety Risk of Plant-Based Meat Analogues by Analyzing Microbial Community Composition
title_full Evaluating the Potential Safety Risk of Plant-Based Meat Analogues by Analyzing Microbial Community Composition
title_fullStr Evaluating the Potential Safety Risk of Plant-Based Meat Analogues by Analyzing Microbial Community Composition
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating the Potential Safety Risk of Plant-Based Meat Analogues by Analyzing Microbial Community Composition
title_short Evaluating the Potential Safety Risk of Plant-Based Meat Analogues by Analyzing Microbial Community Composition
title_sort evaluating the potential safety risk of plant based meat analogues by analyzing microbial community composition
topic high-throughput sequencing
bacterial and fungal community
phenotype predicting
food safety
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/1/117
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AT haishengjiang evaluatingthepotentialsafetyriskofplantbasedmeatanaloguesbyanalyzingmicrobialcommunitycomposition
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