Current Trends, Innovations and Challenges in Non-Soy Tofu Production: A Critical Analysis

Growing demand for diversified plant-based protein foods has stimulated interest in legumes as alternative raw materials for tofu production; however, knowledge on non-soy tofu remains fragmented across different species and processing systems. This review critically evaluates current knowledge on tofu and tofu-type products derived from non-soy legumes, linking raw-material composition and protein functionality with processing conditions and final product quality. Evidence on protein extraction, heat-induced transformations, coagulation, gel formation, texture, nutritional properties, and sensory quality was critically synthesised. The available studies demonstrate that successful curd formation depends not only on total protein content but also on storage-protein composition, non-protein constituents, and extraction, heating, and coagulation conditions. Consequently, processing conditions established for conventional soy tofu cannot be directly transferred across legume species. Emerging physical, enzymatic, and fermentation-based strategies offer additional opportunities to modify protein functionality and product structure, but their application in complete tofu systems remains insufficiently validated. Substantial methodological heterogeneity and limited direct interspecies comparisons currently restrict generalisation of processing recommendations. Future research should prioritise standardised comparative studies and integrated optimisation of technological, nutritional, sensory, and storage quality to support the development of reproducible and consumer-acceptable non-soy tofu products.