Since plant-based proteins have low water retention capacity and in general do not bind well, hydrocolloids like methylcellulose are essential in the production of vegan meats. But hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (E461 in the EU) has received a bad rap in recent years, to say the least.
Widely used as a stabiliser in the food industry and as a thickener to mimic a meat-like texture, methylcellulose has various other applications and is used clinically as a laxative and as a carrier for eye drops.
The ingredient has accumulated a negative reputation, especially in anti-vegan messaging, often used in the argument against processed plant-based foods. As such, various clean alternatives have arrived on the market in recent years. For example:
- ARGANA, Vienna – starch-based solution
- Eggmented Reality, Israel – precision fermentation-based
- Plantible, USA – duckweed / Lemna
- Meala, Israel – plant protein-based
- KaTech, Germany – plant protein-based
- Fiber Star, USA – citrus fiber-based
- Loryma, Germany – wheat-based (see below for new portfolio addition launched this week)
Methylcellulose is derived from natural cellulose in plants and comes as a tasteless powder, making it ideal for producers. While it is not toxic and is approved in the US by the FDA, it is not absorbed by the human body and it is advised to avoid in large quantities.
Natural solutions for vegan meats
One study found that combining methylcellulose with cold-setting hydrocolloids or starches, like kappa-carrageenan, locust bean gum, or modified thin-boiling maize starch, significantly improved the structure and stress resistance of vegan meat substitutes.
Others have explored incorporating novel plant-based ingredients, such as spirulina, duckweed, and yellow chlorella, into plant-based meat, enhancing quality and functionality without adverse effects. Plant proteins, including rapeseed and legume-derived proteins, and plant-based fibers can also be leveraged as key components in meat alternative formulations.
Last month, researchers at the Master of Food Technology (MoFT) program at Universiti Putra Malaysia, exploring healthy and sustainable binders for plant-based meat, found that patties with pea and citrus fibers had higher moisture content, and discovered that citrus fiber is an optimal replacement.
The study concluded that incorporating pea, citrus, and apple fibers can effectively replace traditional binders in plant-based meat patties, as they all scored similarly for taste, texture, juiciness, and overall acceptability.
Latest launch: wheat-based binder from Loryma
Germany’s Loryma, part of the Crespel & Deiters Group, has this week expanded its Lory Bind portfolio with a clean-label solution for vegan meat alternatives which can be utilised as an alternative to methylcellulose.
According to Loryma, the protein contained in the binder gives meat alternatives a nutrient profile that closely resembles the “original”. With the new wheat-based solution, the ingredients specialist states that it is responding to an increasing demand for foods with easily understandable ingredient lists. The ingredient is described as a “declaration-friendly alternative to conventional binders such as methylcellulose” and that it is ideal for meat-free products.
Head of Research and Development, Norbert Klein, comments: “For us, this new Lory® Bind variant marks another milestone in the development of clean label binders for the vegan food industry. This solution not only aligns with consumer expectations but also supports manufacturers in producing plant-based products entirely free from E-numbers.”
