CP Kelco and Chr. Hansen, two leading ingredient solutions companies, have collaborated to develop shelf-stable plant-based yogurt alternatives called vegurts.
“Formulating plant-based vegurts is not straightforward”
The companies say they have developed industrially validated prototypes of “next level” drinkable and spoonable shelf-stable vegurts that will allow manufacturers to respond to the growing demand for great-tasting plant-based dairy.
“This collaboration represents a new way of helping our respective customers accelerate their product development and access technical application support globally,” said Anne Sinha, marketing director at CP Kelco, on behalf of the two companies.
Chr. Hansen coined the term vegurt upon the launch of its fermentation solutions for plant-based products in 2020. The Danish ingredient expert, which also offers results for other plant-based products, recently launched a range of cultures to keep alt meat fresh for longer. CP Kelco, which works with food, beverage, consumer, and industrial products manufacturers worldwide, earlier this year launched a range of nature-based ingredients solutions for alternative meats.
Great-tasting vegurts
Shelf-stable plant-based dairy products represent an opportunity to reduce food waste and increase geographical reach for manufacturers and retailers. For consumers, it means convenience and a preferred choice if products deliver great taste, texture, and nutrition, similar to animal dairy, which vegurts do, the companies argue.
“The technological challenge to produce both spoonable and drinkable ambient vegurts with great nutrition, taste, and texture is significant,” said Christian Gilleladen, principal application scientist at Chr. Hansen.
“Selecting the right culture to provide fermentation performance, texture, and flavor for each recipe, and having these complement the stabilization and flavor systems is critical to making great products,” Gilleladen added.
Vegurt recipes can be tweaked
As reported by the companies, manufacturers can tweak the prototype recipes, which can be made with either oat, soy, pea, coconut, or almond bases to meet specific sugar, protein, fat, texture, and flavour requirements.
Tora Jorn, sales technical service manager at CP Kelco, said: “Formulating plant-based vegurts is not straightforward, and we want to help our customers to be best in a class by offering our joint technical expertise.
“Together, we look forward to this opportunity of sharing our support and helping with the development of the flavors, textures, and nutritional profiles our customers are targeting when they embark on the plant-based, shelf-stable vegurts journey.”
There is a vegurt prototype range available for tasting — which has already received positive customer feedback — at CP Kelco stand 4.C180 at Food Ingredients Europe (FIE) in Paris, December 6-8.
