SUJIS LINK

© SUJIS LINK

Company News

South Korea’s SUJIS LINK Secures Investment from Samyang Foods to Scale Meat Analog Technology 

Food technology company SUJIS LINK has secured a strategic investment of ₩3 billion (around $2.5M) from Samyang Foods, following a business agreement between the two companies last November to foster active collaboration in the South Korean alternative protein sector. Founded in 2016, SUJIS LINK initially focused on conventional processed meat products and became the first company in Korea to implement High Moisture Meat Analog (HMMA) mass production technology from Swiss plant equipment manufacturer Bühler Group. The company’s focus has since shifted towards the development and production of plant-based meats. Jinwon Lim, Deputy CEO of SUJIS LINK, outlined the company’s plans: “With this investment from Samyang Foods, we plan to introduce various new products using plant-based proteins to both domestic and international markets in the second …

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supplied by Clextral

Manufacturing & Technology

Clextral Introduces Texturizing Tech for Realistic Meat & Fish Whole Cuts

Clextral, a French firm specializing in machinery for food production, has developed innovative equipment for producing realistic plant-based meat and fish whole cuts: Galaxy Texturation Technology. Designed explicitly for vegetable protein texturization, Clextral’s new patented technology enables the production of larger, softer, more fibrous products that mimic the texture of meat or fish without compromising production capacity: 400 kg of product per hour. Gilles Maller, Senior Vice President and Head of Clextral Americas Business Unit, commented, “Creating a great product requires a 360° view of customer expectations and a deep understanding of how the product is processed.” Flexibility for innovation Clextral says its new machinery delivers unmatched product performance by combining two processes: shear cell fibrillation and continuous extrusion. As explained by the company, by …

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Meat Analogue developed by Lund University

© Lund University

Science

Lund University Researchers Uncover Optimal Raw Material Blend for the Most Appealing Plant-Based Meat

Food technology researchers at Lund University in Sweden have found the best raw material combination to make the most appetizing plant-based meat using extrusion: wheat gluten and hemp seed. The research, led by Karolina Östbring and Jeanette Purhagen, focuses on creating alternatives that mimic the texture and consistency of real meat, addressing the common complaint that vegan food does not deliver the “meaty” experience.   Focusing on texture, temperature, and taste — the three “Ts” — the team discovered a way to introduce chewiness into vegetable meat by imitating muscle fibers, using an extruder and various raw materials.  According to Purhagen, extruders are essential for producing meat analogs with suitable, long fibers, providing the desired chewy texture that people appreciate in meat.  Finding the optimal combination  …

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Alpha Foods is using HME in a different way to make meatier plant-based chicken.

Image courtesy of Alpha Foods

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Alpha Foods Unleashes the Power of HME Technology to Make the “Most-Meat Like” Plant-Based Chicken Strips

California-based Alpha Foods, a popular plant-based brand known for its frozen burritos, wraps, tamales, and nuggets,  launched plant-based Homestyle Chik’n Strips last year to cater to consumers from vegans to flexitarians to meat lovers. The company, now part of the The LIVEKINDLY Collective, says that its plant-based chicken strips shred, taste, and cook just like chicken and describes them as the “most meat-like” plant-based chicken.  To satisfy consumer demands for a plant-based product that provides a meat-like eating experience, the company leverages High Moisture Extrusion (HME) technology but uses a unique processing approach.   Alpha Foods explains that its HME method mixes and cooks soy and wheat in an extruder at specific temperatures. Through this process, the plant proteins melt and fold into strands that resemble the fibers responsible …

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