Scelta mushroom fat

Image: Scelta / vegconomist

These 3 Companies Are Creating Healthy Fat Alternatives From Mushrooms

Today, we look into three companies using mushrooms to create healthy fats for plant-based foods. Interest in mushrooms continues to grow among consumers and manufacturers since these wonders of nature, neither plants nor animals, offer exceptional functionality, encompassing supplements, textiles, meat alternatives, beverages, colorings, and now fats.  Some mushrooms have a high lipid content, composed of unsaturated fatty acids, that can be used to replace vegetable and saturated fats. According to Brazilian researchers, edible mushrooms worldwide contain linoleic, linolenic, and oleic acids (some more than others), making them an important essential fatty acid source for a healthy diet.  The global mushroom market is expected to reach $115.8 billion by 2030, and mushrooms were named Ingredient of the Year by The New York Times in 2022. 1. Scelta Mushrooms Scelta Mushrooms, …

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GoodMills Innovation plant-based texturates

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GoodMills Innovation Sees Growing Interest in Plant-Based Texturates for Alt Meat

Germany’s GoodMills Innovation has reported increasing interest in its VITATEX® range of plant-based texturates, which are used to improve the sensory qualities of meat and fish alternatives. At Food Ingredients Europe, which took place in Frankfurt from November 28-30, VITATEX products attracted a wide audience from a variety of sectors. According to GoodMills Innovation, this highlights the industry trend towards meat and fish alternatives, as well as continued consumer demand for these products. The VITATEX range was first launched in 2021. At the time, GoodMills Innovation said it had been working with wheat-based texturates for a decade, but had taken the products to a new level through extrusion technology and the addition of soy and peas. At Fi Europe, there was also interest in the …

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Avebe launches Perfectasol potato protein

© Avebe

Avebe Launches PerfectaSOL Potato Protein for Use in Alt Dairy, Confectionery & More

Avebe, a Dutch supplier of potato-based ingredients, has launched a new product called PerfectaSOL®, described as the “next generation of potato protein products”. PerfectaSOL is said to be an ideal texturiser for plant-based dairy alternatives, with a range of properties including gelling, smoothness, emulsifying, stability, and a neutral white color. It can replace ingredients such as modified starches and hydrocolloids, allowing for clean-label formulations. PerfectaSOL can also be used to make plant-based baked goods; Avebe’s R&D team has successfully used it to develop products such as aloo tikki potato cookies and vegan donuts. Additionally, the ingredient can completely replace the gelling and foaming properties of gelatin in molded candies, marshmallows, and other confectionery. Unlike some plant-based proteins, PerfectaSOL is allergen-free and is said to have …

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Plant based grilled burger patty with grill marks and rock salt isolated on white. Top view.

© Moving Moment-stock.adobe.com

HIFOOD and Alianza Team Introduce Revolutionary Fat Alternative to Tropical Oils for Better Plant-Based Meat

HIFOOD and Alianza Team Europe have developed an innovative, clean-label, plant-based fat alternative to tropical oils and chemical emulsions. The companies claim that the new product improves the taste and texture of plant-based meat, allowing manufacturers to make realistic alternatives. The Italian company HIFOOD, a CSM Ingredients subsidiary, specializes in researching, developing, and producing natural ingredients. Alianza Team Europe, headquartered in Germany, is the European division of the Colombian multinational vegetable fats and oils company Alianza Team. MirrorTissue Using MirrorTissue, a plant-based lipid solution by Alianza Team, and HIFOOD’s proprietary proteins, plant fibers, and technologies, the companies developed a protein emulsion with superior performance.  Made with a blend of allergen-free plant proteins, soluble plant fibers from oilseeds, and local oils and fats, the new enhanced product contains 10% more natural ingredients than …

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Anne-Marie Gendreau of Lallemand

Anne-Marie Gendreau of Lallemand ©MCF

Lallemand: “The Plant-Based Market is Moving Forward Rapidly, and Innovation is Key”

Anne-Marie Gendreau is a Canadian pastry chef and food scientist. She is the North American Applied R&D team leader at Lallemand Bio-Ingredients. Anne-Marie is known for her ability to develop formulations and provide customized support across a broad range of food product categories. She embraces the challenge and variety in making plant-based savory applications or sweeter plant-based developments. Can you highlight some of the unique properties of Lallemand’s plant-based ingredients and how they contribute to the quality of plant-based products? Recently, we’ve been developing yeast extract-composed flavor bases, Savor-Lyfe® CI is the latest addition to the product line. The typical meaty yeast extract flavor profile is elaborated to contribute more specifically to the poultry flavor of plant-based foods. How does Lallemand approach innovation in the development …

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BENEO unveils innovations in plant-based beef alternatives

Image courtesy of BENEO

BENEO Unveils New Range of Semi-Finished Plant-Based Products for Beef Alternatives

German ingredients manufacturer BENEO has unveiled two new semi-finished plant-based products for beef alternatives: Beef Bites and Minced Meat. The semi-finished products, which are easy-to-process inputs that have undergone some processing, offer manufacturers an easy solution to create “juicy and meaty” alternatives to beef. They have been developed with a blend of pea and mycoprotein by Meatless BV, a Dutch producer of texturized plant proteins that was acquired by BENEO in 2022. The new range will launch at the beginning of 2024; however, the company is offering Fi Europe  2023(currently ongoing) participants the opportunity to taste the products in plant-based dishes prepared by Culinary Chef Jelbrich Hendrickx from the BENEO-Technology Center. Niels E. Hower of BENEO’s Executive Board shared: “Due to the high consumer interest, we made the decision …

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© Loryma, Crespel & Deiters Group

“Eggscellent” plant-based ingredient for vegan baked goods

Ever-increasing sales of plant-based, baked goods are a strong incentive for the creation of innovative new product launches in the category. Here, a new compound from Loryma ensures optimal dough stability and volume without the need for eggs or milk. Top-quality, great-tasting muffins and sponge cakes are just two of the numerous product concepts made possible with Loryma’s latest ingredient innovation, Lory® Stab. While meat and dairy substitutes are now standard supermarket offerings, there is still a distinct lack of variety when it comes to vegan baked goods, despite increasing consumer demand. Here, compensating for the technological properties of hens’ eggs in dough can be a complex task, yet it’s one which can be easily addressed with a new stabilizing system in Loryma’s Lory® Stab …

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© Kalsec

Kalsec Opens Savoury Product Innovation Centre in the Netherlands’ Food Valley

Kalsec, a natural food ingredients supplier headquartered in Michigan, US, has expanded its European presence with the opening of a new Savoury Product Innovation Centre of Excellence (SPICE Lab) in the Netherlands’ Food Valley region. To establish the new centre, Kalsec worked with Oost NL (the East Netherlands Development Agency), Foodvalley NL, and Wageningen University & Research. The facility will have a focus on taste and sensory solutions for sauces, dressings and condiments. Kalsec has had a presence in Europe for almost 30 years, including a regional headquarters in the UK. The new SPICE Lab will feature an international team of food scientists who will facilitate research and new product development. “We look forward to working in this amazing ecosystem as we develop partnerships with …

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A range of plant-based chocolate truffles

© InnovoPro

InnovoPro Presents Nutritious Chickpea Solutions for Bakery and Coffee Shop Industries at Fi Europe 2023

Chickpea protein specialist InnovoPro will introduce its latest innovations for the plant-based bakery and coffee shop industries at Fi Europe 2023. Plant-based chocolate truffles boasting 12 grams of protein, egg-free brownies, and a plant-based barista drink specially formulated for stability in low-pH beverages, will debut at the fair to showcase the possibilities of InnovoPro’s chickpea solutions. The NPDs are reportedly made with non-allergenic, gluten- and GMO-free ingredients, adhering to clean-label standards while offering an “indulgent experience” without sacrificing taste. The Israeli company states that since its chickpea protein platform encompasses multiple applications, it has been exploring the “coffee shop experience” to cater to the growing demand for healthy plant-based products in this subcategory. “Consumers are now searching for healthy food and looking for nutritional benefits …

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© AGRANA

AGRANA Starch Ingredients: Optimize the Texture and Protein Content in Your Plant-Based Product

Are you developing a new plant-based product, or are you planning to? Then the following keywords are certainly familiar to you: “meat-like texture”; “protein content”; “methyl cellulose-free”; “clean label”; and even “rich in fibre”. Product development of plant-based meat alternatives can be challenging: We want to meet the demands regarding texture and structure. It is important to find a valuable plant-based protein source. Surely, we want to meet consumer demands for “clean label”, organic, GMO-free, gluten-free or soy-free, etc. AGRANA Starch is your partner for natural ingredients and the ideal complement for your plant-based product. The carefully selected raw materials of AGRANA Starch are corn, potatoes, and wheat. We produce starch products for the food industry as well as for other industrial sectors from these …

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© SternVitamin GmbH & Co. KG

SternVitamin Introduces Trend-Specific Micronutrient Premixes at Fi Europe

Three micronutrient premixes, which have been incorporated into various applications and developed in line with current trends, will take centre stage at SternVitamin‘s trade fair appearance at this year’s Fi Europe. The mixes The premix SternCogni+, which supports cognitive performance in old age with functional ingredients, will be shown in the trending Gummy application. Also, the company is catering to the “Beauty from Within” trend with an instant beverage powder enriched with the SternHolisticBeauty premix. SternVitalityV, on the other hand, gives new impetus to the booming plant-based market: incorporated into a vegan coffee drink, containing micronutrients that provide energy. Cognitive performance and memory With SternCogni+, SternVitamin is presenting a premix at the trade fair that picks up on the healthy aging trend. It contains vitamins …

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Amber Wave has installed what it claims is North America’s largest wheat protein ingredients facility.

© Amber Wave

Amber Wave Launches Production at Wheat Protein Facility Set to Become the Largest in North America

Amber Wave, a US supplier of high-quality wheat protein, announces it has begun production at what it claims is to become North America’s largest wheat protein ingredients facility, following an investment from the agribusiness operator and investment manager Summit Agricultural Group. Located in Phillipsburg, Kansas, the “state-of-the-art facility” has been equipped with the latest technology in milling, wheat protein extraction, and renewable biofuels. It includes a 27,500 cwt (hundredweight) flour mill and two silos for grain storage. “Utilizing world-class automation, superior equipment, and an exceptionally trained workforce, we will produce a high-quality domestic wheat protein ingredient. Safety, quality, and sustainability were key areas of focus as we progressed through the project phase,” said Steve Adams, COO of Amber Wave in a statement. Wheat protein and …

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Aquatic plant Lemma

Image courtesy of Plantible

Plantible and ICL Unveil “Revolutionary” Clean-Label Alternative to Methylcellulose Made with Duckweed

US duckweed ingredients company Plantible Foods and ICL Food Specialties, a leading manufacturer of functional ingredients, have introduced ROVITARIS, a “revolutionary” clean label binding solution for plant-based meat and seafood applications.  ROVITARIS is described as a functional protein system designed to replace chemically processed binders, such as methylcellulose, without compromising the taste and texture of foods. Moreover, it makes plant-based meat products “taste better and perform more authentically,” says Plantible. The new ingredient features RuBisCO, a protein that Plantible extracts from the aquatic plant Lemna (duckweed) commercialized as the Rubi Protein. It contains all nine essential amino acids and can mimic the functions of animal proteins, including emulsifying and binding. The Rubi Protein is also neutral in color, odor, and flavor.  “Plant-based protein formulators have been searching for a …

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red algae close up

Red algae ©Danita Delimont

Coloring the Future of Plant-Based: v2Foods’ Color-Changing Algae, Exberry’s Realistic Red for Alt Meat, and ADM’s Pistachio Greens

What will future plant-based foods look like? Here we highlight v2food‘s new red algae-derived ingredient that changes color while it cooks; EXBERRY‘s Compound Red which creates realistic color changes in the cooking process of plant-based meat; and ADM’s color and flavor trends for 2024. v2food’s color-changing algal tech Plant-based meat company v2food has unveiled RepliHue, a new color system made from red algae for plant-based meat at Australia’s renowned discovery stage South by Southwest. According to v2food, RepliHue’s red algae is produced sustainably, capturing carbon dioxide and harnessing light as an energy source. RepliHue is a new type of ingredient that is said to be capable of mimicking the color of meat during different cooking timings. It reacts to heat exposure, displaying different pink and brown shades …

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Pea protein by PURIS

©PURIS

USA: PURIS Petitions Against Cheap Pea Protein Imports from China Threatening Domestic Market

Pea protein is a nutritious plant-based protein source that provides all nine essential amino acids, making it a versatile foundation for meat alternatives, dairy substitutes, and protein powders. However, the US market for pea protein is facing a significant challenge, threatening the livelihoods of local producers and the integrity of the domestic supply chain, explains Tyler Lorenzen, CEO of Puris. Earlier this year, PURIS, a leading manufacturer of non-GMO, plant-based ingredients derived from soy, pulses, lentils, and corn, filed petitions with the US Department of Commerce (DOC) and the US International Trade Commission (ITC) on behalf of the US domestic industry to highlight a concerning issue. The company claims Chinese companies are dumping high protein content (HPC) pea protein into the US market at less …

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Nourish Ingredients has unveiled Tastilux, a new animal-free fat

Image courtesy of Nourish Ingredients

Nourish Ingredients Unveils New Animal-Free Fat in Plant-Based Chicken with Edible Bones

Australian food tech company Nourish Ingredients has unveiled Tastilux, a new animal-free fat that the company claims can address the challenges of taste, nutrition, and consumer adoption in the plant-based meat market. To demonstrate the potential of the new ingredient, the company’s head of culinary innovation crafted a realistic, plant-based chicken wing featuring edible calcium-based bones that was presented at the SXSW event in Sydney, Australia.  “Attendees can experience the authentic flavor, juicy texture, and enjoyment of chicken wings without involving animals,” said the company.  A “quantum leap” to deliciousness Developed with natural lipid molecules and scaled through precision fermentation, it took the company’s scientific team three years to develop a product capable of replacing conventional fats and oils without animal ingredients or artificial chemicals, explains Nourish Ingredients. Tastilux …

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Ingredients from pumpkin offered by FLANQUART

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Flanquart Supports the Food Industry with Natural & Nutritious Solutions from Seeds

Flanquart, a French expert in seed processing, says it is “helping the food industry go green” by providing natural solutions created with seeds. According to Flanquart, over the past 10 years, the number of flexitarians in France has increased significantly: 49% of French households have switched to a flexitarian diet, compared with 25% in 2012*. Flanquart states that its solutions help to cater for this rising consumer demand. Based in Annezin, Flanquart will this year celebrate 30 years of developing expertise around the nutritional benefits of seeds as an asset for the agrifood industry. The company offers a wide range of natural ingredients with technical and organoleptic qualities, in both conventional and organic versions, and has established production networks with farmers in France and Europe. …

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Quorn's chicken strips

© Quorn

Vaess and Marlow Ingredients Join Forces to Drive Innovation in Mycoprotein Products

Dutch food tech company Vaess and UK company Marlow Ingredients have announced a collaboration that they say will strengthen their global presence to lead the sustainable ingredients industry. The companies, claiming to be the first in the world to develop binding systems for mycoprotein products, will leverage each other’s experience in the field to make high-quality and tasty mycoprotein alternatives. Vaess, previously Vaessen-Schoemaker, uses technology to offer functional ingredients and solutions to drive innovation in food products, including plant-based products for “tomorrow’s trends and today’s needs.” The company has been operating for over 75 years.  Marlow Ingredients is a recently established division of Marlow Foods, the manufacturer of Quorn Foods’ mycoprotein, which commercializes the fermented protein for the F&B industry; both companies operate under the Monde Nissin Corporation. Marlow Ingredients’ first client is Denmark’s Tempty Foods. Joris Hermans, director …

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© Lallemand

Cultivating Excellence: Lallemand’s Leading Role in the Torula Yeast Revolution

Lallemand Bio-Ingredients (LBI), a company specializing in producing a complete range of natural inactive whole-cell yeast, yeast autolysates, and yeast extracts, has played a crucial role in advancing Torula yeast production. Established in 1987, Lallemand Bio-Ingredients was initially formed to develop value-added products while optimizing the processing of yeast biomasses. Over time, the company acquired strong expertise in yeast-based, fermented ingredients. In 2009, Lallemand announced the acquisition of Lake States Yeast Division from the Wausau Paper Group. Lake States had been a leader in the development and commercialization of inactive dried Torula yeast since 1948. Lallemand’s commitment to innovation and technological advancement led to the optimization of the Torula yeast production process. The company transitioned from relying on paper-mill byproducts to using molasses and dextrose, …

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Queen Margaret University develops alternative to palm oil

© Queen Margaret University

Scottish University Develops Sustainable & Clean Label Alternative to Palm Oil

Scientists at Scotland’s Queen Margaret University have developed a healthier and more sustainable alternative to palm oil. Called PALM-ALT, the ingredient is fully plant-based, made from a byproduct of the linseed industry along with fibre and rapeseed oil. Palm oil is considered problematic due to its environmental impact, with palm plantations a key driver of deforestation and habitat destruction in Malaysia and Indonesia. Despite this, the ingredient is still widely used in the food industry and elsewhere, as a replacement with the same properties is currently not available at a competitive cost. The development of a more sustainable alternative has the potential to reduce transport emissions as well as deforestation; PALM-ALT can be made exclusively with ingredients sourced from within the UK and the EU, …

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