Modern consumers demand a short ingredient list and also increasingly prefer products without soy and other allergenic ingredients. Ingredients specialists Hydrosol work with allergen- and soy-free stabilising and texturing systems based on potato and pea protein to make a wide range of products, from cold cuts to salami to bacon.
“Due to the GMO issue and its allergenic potential the demand for soy in Europe is declining sharply,” says Florian Bark, Product Manager at Hydrosol. “In its place, protein sources like peas, potatoes and fava beans are coming to the fore, along with newer sources like chickpeas, sunflower and algae. For example, we use these proteins in our plant-based meat and sausage alternatives.”
Hydrosol has a range called HydroTOP VEGAN Patty P, based on fava bean and pea protein, and free of soy, wheat and other allergens. Together with the plant-based texturate it enables users to make vegan burger patties and nuggets that are very similar to meat products in taste, texture and mouth feel.
A new item in the portfolio is a plant alternative to sour cream that reportedly cannot be told from the original and is just as versatile. This plant-based sour cream is free of e-numbers, as well as being entirely soy-free. At FI Europe in Paris Hydrosol staged the product, developing a soy- and gluten-free vegan tarte flambée, with gluten-free crust, plant-based sour cream and vegan bacon. “The tarte flambée was a great success, and many visitors were immediately won over by the taste of our sour cream,” reports Product Manager Katharina Schäfer.