Replicating the fibrous hierarchy of muscles remains a key challenge in plant-based meat analogues. While top-down structuring (e.g., extrusion or shear cell) relies on macroscopic structuring, bottom-up approaches such as dry spinning enable the fabrication of defined fibers made of proteins. This study aimed to (i) elucidate the multiscale structure of dry-spun plant protein fibers and (ii) evaluate their potential as building blocks for spun meat analogues by comparison with bovine muscle (entrecôte). Dry spinning is a fiber-forming method in which proteins are processed into continuous fibers under controlled conditions. In contrast to extrusion, this approach allows for more precise control over fiber properties and thus offers potential for creating anisotropic structures in plant-based meat analogues.

Formulations based on wheat gluten, mixed with or without faba bean protein isolate, and supplemented with or without salt were dry spun. Structural characterization was conducted across several length scales: macro (photography), meso (scanning electron microscopy, SEM; confocal laser scanning microscopy, CLSM), and micro (solubility tests). Texture profile analysis (hardness, springiness) enabled benchmarking against entrecôte.

Dry spinning yielded hierarchically organized, anisotropic fiber bundles with parallel alignment. Gluten-only fibers exhibited smooth and compact surfaces, whereas the incorporation of faba bean protein isolate led to rougher surfaces with visible signs of phase separation. In these composite fibers, CLSM revealed a continuous gluten matrix in which faba bean protein isolate appeared as aggregates of varying size and distribution in the fibres. The addition of salt led to more homogeneous networks and a reduction in pore size.

At the molecular level, solubility tests indicated that network stabilization in fibers was governed predominantly by hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds. Compared to gluten alone, blends with faba bean protein isolate exhibited higher hardness and greater springiness, even surpassing that of entrecôte. Despite these differences, the force–displacement curves during the first compression remained similar to meat, suggesting a comparable deformation behaviour.

In conclusion, dry spinning represents a promising approach to producing plant protein fibers that replicate meat-like hierarchy and texture. These results showed the potential of dry-spun fibers as versatile, bottom-up building blocks for high-quality meat analogues with enhanced structural authenticity.