Edible Marine Biological Materials in Food Analogues

Food analogues are an important part of the food industry. However, the current attention on food analogues is mainly focused on plant-based products, while ignoring the substantial role played by marine biomaterials in food analogues. In addition, the main technologies used to process marine biological resources into food analogues are molding and cooking process, extrusion technology, and three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. Therefore, this section focuses on reviewing a synthesis on the application of marine biomaterials (including fish, crustaceans, shellfish, and cephalopods, not including algae) in meat analogues and the main processing technologies. In particular, surimi produced from fish has been widely used to simulate crab, shrimp, lobster, and scallop meat. The proteins of marine food can act as gelling and filling agents in the preparation of meat analogues. Additionally, healthy lipids (phospholipid omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) and a large number of micronutrients can provide essential nutrients for humans. Therefore, marine biomaterials have great potential for the production of food analogues.