Life3 Biotech (Life3) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Faculty of Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS) to integrate electrospinning technology into food technology. This is the world’s first attempt to integrate electrospinning into food products designed to mimic the realistic bite of fish fillets and jerky with plant proteins.
To date, electrospinning has been used as a technique to produce thin fibrils with a high aspect ratio in protective masks, which is critical in the current COVID-19 situation. This partnership will pave the way for new research to investigate the feasibility of producing food-grade plant proteins using the same technology. The goal is to create nano-sized protein strands that can better mimic the texture and bite of meat and improve the nutritional value of food.
Rising demand for alternative meats
As the world becomes increasingly concerned about its environmental footprint, there is a growing consensus that viable alternative methods must be found to meet the rising demand for meat. For this reason, many people have turned to plant-based meat alternatives because they are far more sustainable than conventional meat. Research has shown that plant-based foods emit fewer greenhouse gases than meat and dairy products, regardless of how they are produced.
Despite the rise of the plant-based protein industry, many consumers still find it difficult to make the switch. As a team of researchers from the Dutch research institute TNO points out, one of the challenges with alternative protein sources such as plant storage protein, green leaf protein or insect protein is to process them into a structurally appealing product
