Russia

© Planteneers GmbH
R&D

Study: How the Flavor of Plant-Based Meat Could Be Improved Using the Taguchi Method

Scientists in Russia have conducted a study investigating how a statistical method called the Taguchi Method could be used to improve the flavor of plant-based meat alternatives. The research studies the effects of sugar type, concentration, and reaction temperature on factors such as sensory characteristics, volatile organic compounds, and products of the Maillard reaction (a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that creates melanoidins, the compounds which give browned food its flavor). The results indicate that temperature is the predominant factor influencing the formation of Maillard reaction products and the sensory characteristics of the flavorings. The most notable meat flavor and the highest levels of acceptability were achieved through 25 mM xylose-based flavorings prepared at 140 °C. More research needed Analysis of volatile …

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PureField Ingredients wheat blue

©PureField Ingredients

Politics & Law

Conflict in Ukraine to Cause Spike in Food Prices Worldwide

The G20’s Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) has warned that the current conflict in Ukraine will bring a spike in food prices that will threaten food security globally. Russia and Ukraine together produce 29% of the world’s wheat, along with 19% of corn and a huge 80% of sunflower oil. The countries are also key producers of fertilisers and fuel, both important for agriculture. AMIS has urged G20 countries to avoid imposing sanctions on Russia that could disrupt food trade flows, with a particular emphasis on ensuring that those in low-income countries have adequate supplies of affordable food. However, food security is still likely to be affected by the conflict, as there may be disruption to crop production. The news comes at a difficult time …

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Science

Plant-Based Drug Tests Could Make Laboratory Animal Testing Obsolete 

Plant-based drug tests currently under development by researchers in Russia may make it possible to drastically cut down on animal testing in medicine. The new nanomedicine testing system is based on plant leaves and their vasculature.  “We want to attract the attention of the scientific community to the problem of irrational usage of laboratory animals” Starting with a spinach leaf, researchers at the SCAMT Institute at ITMO University in St. Petersburg, Russia, developed a model based on the leaf’s vasculature with all cell components removed apart from the cell walls. This cellulose model is then similar in size and shape to the arterioles and capillaries of the human brain, with the plant tissue more durable and stable than that of animals.  Both traditional and nanopharmaceutical …

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WellDone Russia

©WellDone
Market & Trends

Russian Consumers Included 3X More Plant-Based Foods Into Their Diets During Pandemic

Last year we wrote that around 10% of Russians were already eating plant-based alternatives and 54% were willing to include them in their diet. A new study made by Eating Better shows new encouraging results. According to the study, for a year and a half, residents of Russian cities began to consume meat and milk alternatives three times more often (the share of consumers in the “meat” category increased from 10% to 34%, in the “milk” category – from 9% to 31%). Such plant-based alternatives are in the greatest demand among young people and people with high incomes. Meanwhile, the majority (95%) of Russian citizens are aware of the availability of plant-based substitutes to meat and milk on the Russian market. Health concerns are still …

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Deepfoodtech Russia Bruce Friedrich GFI

Deepfoodtech Russia feat Bruce Friedrich GFI, ©Rusbase
Society

Two Major Conferences on Alternative Proteins Took Place in Russia This May

And, according to our Russian correspondent Alexey Ivanov from eatingbetter.ru, this is absolutely unheard of. “The Alt Food Conference was the first event of the month, organised by Greenwise and Vatel Marketing in Sochi. It started with the representatives of the Good Food Institute (GFI) and ProVeg Incubator, sharing the state of the European and the US alternative proteins market. Then Greenwise made an overview of the Russian market, which amounted to only around $30 million in 2020. However, the growing interest among major Russian companies suggests that this number will increase every year. Also, Greenwise intends to help small startups grow as part of the newly formed Association of Alternative Food Producers (AAFPP). In 2018/2019, only 17 investments were made in the FoodTech sector …

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Image courtesy of Pafos cafe
Society

Russian Chef Covertly Enters Competition With Vegan Burger And Wins Prize

In 2019, the UK’s vegan Purezza Pizzeria took the first prize at the World Pizza Championships in Italy. In the same year, a vegan pie was awarded winner of the British Pie Awards above around 900 traditional meat pies. Recently in Russia, in the Siberian city of Omsk, a plant-based burger also won the best burger contest without anyone realising that it is vegan.

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Julia Marsel ©AAFPP
Interviews

AFFPP On Plant-Based Growth in Russia “We’re Obviously Thrilled Not Only to Witness it, But to Be At the Origin Of This Change”

Great news for Russia was announced earlier this month as the country is now set to host its first plant-based incubator programme. In collaboration with ProVeg International, the newly-formed Association of Alternative Food Producers (AAFPP), has been established by Julia Marsel and Tim Ponomarev, two of the founders of the ProVeg Incubator alumni startup Greenwise.

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Russian incubator ProVeg

Courtesy of ProVeg International
Startups, Accelerators & Incubators

Russia to Host its First Ever Plant-Based Incubator This Spring

Russia is soon to have its first-ever plant-based incubator as the ProVeg Incubator partners with the newly-formed Association of Alternative Food Producers (AAFPP), a non-profit that was set up in Russia by Julia Marsel and Tim Ponomarev, two of the founders of the ProVeg Incubator alumni startup Greenwise.

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©KFC
Society

KFC Russia to Trial 3D Printed Chicken Nuggets, GFI Says “We Hope it Creates Something Like the Space Race”

KFC Russia is collaborating with 3D Bioprinting Solutions, a Russian research laboratory, to create the world’s first 3D printed chicken nuggets scheduled for trial this autumn. The GFI’s Executive Director Bruce Freidrich calls this a “game-changer for the industry” and that he hopes the US and Russia compete against each other in this arena.

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crunch-instinct- Liberty Trade inc.

© Liberty Trade Inc.
Products & Launches

New Socially Responsible and Environmentally Friendly Snack from Russia Enters the US Market

With its new Crunch Instinct product line, the Russian company Liberty Trade Inc. is now offering vegetable-based snacks with a low environmental footprint on the US market.The company is committed to healthy soils, minimizing water consumption, and reducing pollution on its farms. Crunch Instinct is particularly committed to meeting the snack needs of modern society without further driving climate change.

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