Manufacturing & Technology

Planteneers: How Manufacturers Can Meet the Demand for Affordable Plant-Based Foods

Planteneers, a leading German developer and provider of customized plant-based products, has outlined how manufacturers can meet the growing demand for high-quality and affordable plant-based foods.

With the help of a system called fiildMeat S 111404, Planteneers produces cold-cut alternatives like lyoner, fleischwurst, and salami using functional plant proteins combined with hydrocolloids. The system has been developed to make plant-based foods as accessible and affordable as possible with no compromise on taste or texture.

To cut costs, Planteneers worked out that modified starch could be excluded from formulations if a “clever combination of other hydrocolloids” was used instead. The optimal choice and quantity of hydrocolloids also helps the products slice cleanly on large high-speed slicers.

© Planteneers

Meeting consumer expectations

The correct choice of proteins is also important.  Soy protein concentrate provides good functionality, an attractive amino acid profile, and a neutral taste, while being less processed than a protein isolate. Pea protein is said to be a good adjunct, providing firmness and stability. Both proteins are sourced within Europe, shortening transport routes.

However, soy protein concentrate has a somewhat darker colour than the comparable isolate. This can be corrected using colouring foods, but since these are not very heat stable, quantities must be very precise to create plant-based cold cuts with a fresh, natural colour.

When processing plant-based meat, Planteneers emphasises the importance of using the right shear in the cutter and an ideal temperature to achieve the most appealing texture.

“Our technologists and applications researchers at the Stern Technology Center simulate and test the production process on pilot plants,” said Planteneers Product Manager Rebecca Bohlmann. “This lets us develop a cost-optimised recipe for plant-based cold cuts that also meets consumer expectations in terms of flavour, colour, and texture.”

© Planteneers

“Answers to many trends”

Last month, Planteneers unveiled a new range of meat alternatives made with mycoprotein, developed using its functional systems fiildMeat P and fiildMeat S. These products can be marketed as “high in fibre” or a “source of fibre”, appealing to health-conscious consumers.

Planteneers also partnered with food processing technology leader Handtmann earlier this year to develop a new marbled and fat-layered steak alternative.

“Plant-based alternatives offer answers to many trends and mega-trends that consumers are interested in – sustainability, animal welfare, and the growing hunger for protein,” Planteneers told vegconomist in January. “So we continue to see the plant-based market as a growth market.”

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