Abstract: Growing consumer awareness of healthy eating has stimulated interest in fat substitutes. Plant proteins, with their excellent functional properties, are widely used as emulsifiers or gelling agents and have shown significant potential in fat replacement, making them a research focus. Plant protein-based emulsion gels mimic animal fat in morphology and mouthfeel while offering nutritional benefits. Nevertheless, challenges such as soft texture and poor stability limit their practical application. This review systematically summarizes preparation methods for plant protein-based emulsion gels, with a focus on the effects and mechanisms of different additives and processing techniques on their structure and properties as fat substitutes. Furthermore, we summarize their applications in foods and propose future research directions, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the development and application of plant-based fat alternatives.

Key words: plant protein; emulsion gels; fat substitute; preparation method; structure; characteristics