Textured vegetable protein: all about appearance

Textured vegetable protein (TVP), the meat extender we loved to ridicule in our school lunches, may be more prevalent in petfood than many realize. It isn't being used to stretch the meat budget or even to supplement meat protein. Instead, the most common application for TVP in petfoods is cosmetic. It makes for a great visual effect in canned foods, making them look more like real meat.

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A TVP 'meat piece' does a better job of distinguishing itself as a 'meat chunk' than an actual chunk of chopped or reformed meat.
A TVP "meat piece" does a better job of distinguishing itself as a "meat chunk" than an actual chunk of chopped or reformed meat.

Textured vegetable protein (TVP), the meat extender we loved to ridicule in our school lunches, may be more prevalent in petfood than many realize. It isn't being used to stretch the meat budget or even to supplement meat protein. Instead, the most common application for TVP in petfoods is cosmetic. It makes for a great visual effect in canned foods, making them look more like real meat.

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