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Textured soy protein (tsp, textured vegetable protein, tvp, "soy meat") is often used as a meat-replacement in vegetarian diets or where a reduction in animal protein intake is desired. 

Dry TVP flakes are an inexpensive protein source when purchased in bulk and can be added to a variety of vegetarian dishes or used as a supplement to bulk out a meat dish.

Textured soy chunks, Textured or Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP), also known as Textured Soy Protein (TSP) is a meat substitute made from defatted soy flour, a by-product of making soybean oil. It is quick to cook, high in protein, and low in fat.

Manufacturing process

TVP is made through a process known as "extrusion cooking". A dough is formed from high PDI (Protein Dispersibility Index) defatted soy flour and water in a "preconditioner" (mixing cylinder) and cooked during passage through the barrel of a screw type extruder such as the Wenger. Sometimes steam from an external source is employed to aid in the cooking process.

Upon exiting the die, superheated steam escapes, rapidly producing an expanded, spongy yet fibrous lamination of thermoplastic soy flour which takes on the various shapes of the die as it is sliced into granules, flakes, chunks, goulash, steakettes (schnitzel), etc., by revolving knives, and then dried in an oven. Had the raw material been high in carbohydrates, extrusion cooking could have produced puffed corn curls or puffed wheat.[1]

Textured vegetable protein was patented in three parts; a process patent, a product patent and a use patent. Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) held the product patent and trademarked the trade name TVP. The trade name TSP for textured soy protein is trademarked and held by Legacy Foods, LLC. ADM's ownership came from work by William Thomas Atkinson. A.E. Staley corporation held the use patent and Ralston Purina corporation held the process patent. All of these patents have expired or have been held inapplicable to current use.

Several manufacturers world wide now manufacture and sell extruded "textured" soy protein marketed under a wide array of trade names.

Properties

TVP made from soy flour contains 50% soy protein and needs to be rehydrated before use, at a weight ratio of 1:2 with water. However, TVP when made from soy concentrate contains 70% protein and can be rehydrated at a ratio of 1:3. It can be used as a meat replacement or supplement. The extrusion technology changes the structure of the soy protein, resulting in a fibrous spongy matrix that is similar in texture to meat.

When stored dry at room temperature TVP has a shelf life of more than a year, but after rehydration it should be used at once or stored for no more than three days in the refrigerator. It is usually rehydrated with cold or hot water, but a bit of vinegar or lemon juice can be added to quicken the process.

TVP can replace ground beef in most recipes, completely or partly. It is high in protein and low in fat and sodium. It is also a good source of fibre and isoflavones.

Textured vegetable protein comes as small dry chunks or flakes when bought in bulk. It has little flavor of its own and needs to be rehydrated and flavored (both can be accomplished in the same step), then added to cooking.

Uses

Textured vegetable protein is a versatile substance, different forms allowing it to take on the texture of whatever ground meat it is substituting for. Using textured vegetable protein, one can make vegetarian or vegan versions of traditionally meat-based dishes such as chili, sloppy joes, tacos or burgers.

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. TVP is often used in prisons for several reasons. Its low relative cost, high protein, and low fat qualities make it ideal, as does its relatively long shelf life, which allows institutions to buy in bulk.

A meat analogue, also called a meat substitute, mock meat, faux meat, imitation meat, or veat, approximates the aesthetic qualities (primarily texture, flavor, and appearance) and/or chemical characteristics of certain types of meat.

The patty of a veggie burger can be made from vegetables, nuts, dairy, mushrooms, soy-derived textured vegetable protein (TVP), wheat gluten, eggs, or a combination of these. They are sometimes vegan.

Veggie burgers are available in a growing number of fast-food restaurants in the U.S., but availability may vary geographically or even among particular restaurants of the same franchise. As of April 2005, veggie burgers were available in all Burger King restaurants, although not vegan[2], and certain Subway restaurants. Many "greasy spoon" cafes as well as top-of-the-range eateries also offer veggie burgers as an option. In places like India where vegetarianism is widely popular, McDonald's serves veggie burgers, as it is one of the primary hot sellers[3].

Generally, meat analogue is understood to mean a food made from non-meats, sometimes without dairy products. The market for meat-less foods includes vegetarians, vegans, non-vegetarians seeking to reduce their meat consumption for health or ethical reasons, non-vegetarians who enjoy the taste of certain meat analogues, and persons following rules of Kashrut. Buddhist cuisine features the oldest known use of meat analogues.

Vegetarian meat, dairy, and egg analogues

Some vegetarian meat analogues are based on centuries-old recipes for seitan (wheat gluten), rice, mushrooms, legumes, tempeh, or pressed-tofu, with flavoring added to make the finished product taste like chicken, beef, lamb, ham, sausage, seafood, etc. Some more recent meat analogues include textured vegetable protein (TVP), which is a dry bulk commodity derived from soy, soy concentrate, mycoprotein-based Quorn, and modified defatted peanut flour. In most Western nations, TVP is produced more than any other meat analogue.
 

Dairy analogues may be composed of processed rice, soy (tofu, soymilk, soy protein isolate), almond, cashew, gluten (such as with the first non-dairy creamers), nutritional yeast, or a combination of these, as well as flavoring to make it taste like milk, cheeses, yogurt, mayonnaise, ice cream, cream cheese, sour cream, whipped cream, buttermilk, rarebit, or butter. Many dairy analogues contain casein, which is extracted dried milk proteins, making them unsuitable for vegans.

Egg substitutes may be composed tofu, tapioca starch, or similar products that recreate the leavening and binding effects of eggs in baked goods. Many people use fruit products such as banana paste and applesauce as egg analogues in baking.

Tofurkey

Turkey flavored and stuffed roast, frozen 1.5 lbs Tofurkey (a portmanteau of tofu and turkey) is faux turkey – a loaf or casserole of vegetarian protein, usually made from seitan (wheat protein) or tofu (soybean protein) with a stuffing made from grain(s) and/or bread flavored with a broth and seasoned with herbs and spices. Tofurkey is oven roasted or baked. Tofurkey can serve as the main dish of a formal meal for people who abstain from or would like to abstain from eating meat. It has become popular as a vegetarian meat alternative served at Thanksgiving (USA and Canada), Harvest festivals, and other winter holidays. Tofurkey can be homemade or purchased pre-made and frozen from multiple sources.

Producers
There are currently several brands of tofurkey on the public market, including Tofurkey produced by Turtle Island Foods, Celebration Roast produced by the Field Roast Grain Meat Co., and the Stuffed Holiday Roast made by AuraPro (now called Match Foods).

On an episode of Food Network's Television show Top 5 on the top five things that taste like chicken, Tofurkey was given second place, with first place going to, of course, chicken.

Home-made Soy "Jerky" Snacks can be made by frying TVP in oil and seasoning with bouillon and spices and soy sauce. 

1.   American Soybean Association: Extrusion (pdf).

2.   http://www.vegparadise.com/news15.html
3.   http://www.mcdonaldsindia.com/ourfood/veg/index.html
4.   The Vegeburger story. Chaos Works. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.
5.   And Here Comes the VegeBurger. The Observer. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.
 

Sourced from wikipedia.org