Ingredients

Powering Up Plant-Based, Planet-Friendly Protein: With Vertis™ CanolaPRO®

What if a company could take one of the world’s most plentiful crops and unlock the previously inedible protein within to help the plant-based industry create a whole new generation of healthy and sustainable products? This is precisely what dsm-firmenich has achieved – in the form of Vertis™ CanolaPRO®, produced by joint venture Olatein. Derived from the canola plant, this sustainable plant protein packs greater nutrition into everything from dairy alternatives to meat & fish alternatives to sports nutritional bars and beverages. But importantly, it does all this while maintaining an appetizing taste and texture. So how did this all come about – and what does it mean for manufacturers? Sewing the seeds of success Famous for its distinctive, vivid yellow color, the canola plant …

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chicken bouillon Lallemand

© Lallemand

Ingredients

Revolutionizing Plant-Based Eating: A New Sensory Experience with Savor-Lyfe® CI

In recent years, a growing awareness of sustainability concerns, food security issues, and the environmental and public health consequences associated with industrial animal agriculture has prompted a shift towards plant-based diets. While the demand for plant-based products has surged, there remains a challenge to develop alternatives that not only cater to niche markets but also resonate with mainstream consumers. Flexitarian consumers, consciously reducing their meat intake for health, environmental, and animal welfare reasons, are driving significant expansion within the plant-based food market. According to Mintel’s 2024 Global Food & Drink Trends, consumers are no longer willing to compromise taste and cost for sustainability credentials. As the cost of living rises, companies are faced with the challenge of delivering on all fronts – taste, cost, and …

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Vegan meal kits cooked and served

© Just Add Vegan

Market & Trends

19% of Australians Embrace Flexitarian Diets, Taste Top Priority for Omnivores, Reveals New Study

The latest research by the polling institute YouGov shows that 19% of Australians consider themselves flexitarians, eating primarily plant-based foods and occasionally meat and fish. Additionally, across all the Australian states, the flexitarian diet was the most popular choice after a standard omnivorous diet.  The poll also shows that 6% of consumers have adopted a vegetarian or vegan diet, driven mainly by young consumers. Notably, this trend is significantly more prevalent in Victoria, where one in ten consumers have adopted a plant-based diet, according to the authors. The data also reveals that a lower percentage of Gen Z and Baby Boomers identified as flexitarians, with only 12%, compared to Millennials and Gen X, who were approximately 25%. Meanwhile, Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to adopt an entirely vegetarian …

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Paleo's animal-free heme proteins for plant-based foods

© Paleo

Investments & Finance

Paleo Raises €12M to Produce Animal-Free Heme for “Real Taste” Plant-Based Foods

Brussels-based precision fermentation firm Paleo, which aims to be a functional ingredient supplier for the alt protein sector, has raised €12 million in a Series A funding round to scale up the production of animal-free heme proteins and help manufacturers bring the “real taste” of meat to plant-based foods. Paleo focuses on producing myoglobin, a heme protein found in animal muscles that, when added to plant-based alternatives as an ingredient, replicates meat’s colour, smell, taste, and aromatic experience, providing iron and thus an increased nutritional value.  DSM Venturing and Planet A Ventures led the investment round, joined by Gimv, SFPIM Relaunch, Beyond Impact, and Siddhi Capital. GM-free heme proteins The Belgian food tech claims to be the first company to produce bioidentical GMO-free heme proteins of …

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