Stanford study compares the mechanical and sensory properties of plant-based and animal meat products.

From left: Skyler St. Pierre, Marc Levenston, Ellen Kuhl, Reese Dunne, Ethan Darwin, Valerie Perez Medina, and Divya Adil pose with the meat and plant-based meat they analyzed © Kurt Hickman

Science

Stanford Engineers Develop 3D Texture Tests to Make Plant-Based Meat with “Precisely Desired” Properties

Stanford University engineers have developed a new AI model for food texture testing to improve the sensory experience of plant-based meat and encourage wider acceptance, especially among meat lovers. The researchers say the method could accelerate the development of appealing vegan alternatives by replacing trial-and-error approaches with a systematic, data-driven strategy that can tailor specific features to match consumer expectations. “Instead of using a trial-and-error approach to improve the texture of plant-based meat, we could envision using generative artificial intelligence to scientifically generate recipes for plant-based meat products with precisely desired properties,” the authors state. Testing the “mechanical signature” In the study published in Science of Food, the researchers show how they used a combination of mechanical testing and machine learning to measure and replicate …

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ADM

© ADM Texperien

Ingredients

Say Cheese to an Improved Plant-Based Alternative

Discover the secret to plant-based cheese perfection Read more Finally, a cheese alternative that performs like the real thing! In a crowded and competitive marketplace, brands are looking for the perfect combination of ingredients to help them stand out. ADM’s innovative Texperien® starch system combined with its robust pantry of complimentary ingredient solutions create the winning formula that offers consumers an exciting plant-based cheese solution that outshines current market offerings. A Flavor-Packed Solution One of the biggest challenges in creating plant-based cheese has always been achieving the right texture and flavor profile. Traditional dairy cheese is known for its smoothness, sliceability, and melt – qualities that have traditionally been difficult to replicate with alternative ingredients. That is – until now! Using its leading-edge Texperien® starch …

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Cosun Beet

© Cosun Beet Company

Ingredients

Cosun Beet Company’s Ambition Leads to Unique Plant-Based Innovation

Cosun Beet Company has developed a novel ingredient specifically designed for plant-based and hybrid products. This ingredient is the result of Cosun Beet Company’s ambition to valorize the full potential of its sugar beets. The name of this ingredient is Fidesse®, a name that is rapidly gaining recognition. Cosun Beet Company’s ambition stems from its vision: ‘The Plant Positive Way’. This vision is based on circularity and maximizing the potential of the crop, in this case, the sugar beet. With smart, sustainable solutions, Cosun Beet Company aims to extract everything possible from the sugar beet in the most sustainable way. The company has been doing this for years but continues to seek even more valuable applications. Climbing the ladder The Research, Development & Innovation department …

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Plant based grilled burger patty with grill marks and rock salt isolated on white. Top view.

© Moving Moment-stock.adobe.com

Studies & Numbers

Researchers Discover Ideal Fava Bean Blend for Tasty & Fibrous Plant-Based Meat

Scientists from the University of Helsinki have discovered a promising protein blend for plant-based meat: whole fava bean (also commonly known as fava or broad bean) groat flour (hulled husks) combined with pea protein isolate (PPI). Fava beans are a promising ingredient for producing meat analogs. However, the researchers argue that protein concentrate from these beans has been hindered by its bitter taste, which is attributed to compounds such as free phenolics, vicine, convicine, saponins, and oxidized fatty acids. To overcome the bitter challenge so disliked by consumers, they explored in a new study the feasibility of using two different types of fava bean ingredients instead of concentrates: flour from germinated, gently heat-treated beans and groat from non-germinated, roasted beans. According to the researchers, both heat …

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Ingredients

Ingood by Olga, a Plant-Based and Natural Ingredient for Confectionery

Ingood by Olga is the business unit dedicated to ingredients of the Olga group, a family-owned company based in French Brittany. Ingood by Olga is committed to better nutrition through plant-based foods, and they believe that good nutrition starts with taste. For example, confectionery is a fast-growing market where texture and taste play a crucial role. PEPTIPEA® perfectly meets these expectations. PEPTIPEA® is a pea protein hydrolysate derived from European yellow peas. This plant-based protein has been developed for the nutrition and food markets. PEPTIPEA® is a foaming agent and an ideal substitute for gelatine, thanks to its functional properties: – Texture improvement: thanks to the swelling properties of pea peptides, PEPTIPEA® offers a light, airy texture, perfect for marshmallows or melt-in-the-mouth sweets – Clean-label: PEPTIPEA® enables the formulation of clean-label …

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Coperion introduces new extrusion unit

© Coperion

Cultivated Meat

Coperion Introduces “Texture Solutions” for Plant-Based and Cultivated Meat

Coperion, a leader in compounding and twin screw extrusion equipment and systems for alternative proteins, has developed an innovative texturizing unit for its extruder to help manufacturers mimic animal flesh more easily. Called the MEGAtex S7, Coperion’s new equipment is mounted at the discharge of the ZSK Food Extruder, allowing producers to switch between making texturized vegetable proteins (TVP) and high-moisture meat analogs (HMMA). TVP and HMMA products are manufactured using accurate feeding systems and a food extruder. When the melt discharges from the extruder, the setup significantly differs. While TVP is released and directly cut at the nozzle plate, HMMA requires a special cooling die. In the cooling die, the material is cooled down and forced into a laminar flow, creating a meat-like structure. Extrusion …

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© Novozymes

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Novozymes Launches New Clean-Label Biosolution for “Perfect Textures” in Plant-Based Meat

Novozymes (NASDAQ OMX: NZYM-B), one of the world’s largest providers of microbial technologies and enzymes, has launched Vertera®ProBite, a new clean-label product that the company claims delivers “perfect textures” in plant-based meat. The Danish company says that its new biosolution addresses consumers’ concerns about the texture and long ingredient lists of alt meat, ultimately encouraging more people to choose sustainable food options. A study conducted by the company shows that 95% of consumers think plant-based meat should improve. According to the 2023 Unmet Needs Discovery Survey by the Plant-Based Food Association, texture is the number one factor dissuading consumers from adopting plant-based alternatives. “Now’s the time to raise the (burger) bar and find perfect textures that consumers will love inside plants,” states Novozymes. Unlocking the potential …

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Cyril Carrat, KaTech

Cyril Carrat © KaTech

Interviews

KaTech: “Our Texture Solution Without Methylcellulose is Game-Changing for Meat Alternatives”

Founded as a startup in 2012, KaTech has certainly come a long way. The customized texture solutions company – which has facilities in Germany, Poland, and the UK – was acquired by global ingredients giant Ingredion Incorporated, two years ago.     We caught up with KaTech’s group managing director, Cyril Carrat, to find out more about the company and how its texture experts are helping manufacturers create vegan products that are affordable, nutritious, and taste great.    Please introduce KaTech Our focus is on developing the best product and process-specific texture solutions for our customers. The fact that we source raw materials independently gives us the widest possible view of the global market which, together with our proven technical knowledge, means we can adapt our approach to …

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Plant based grilled burger patty with grill marks and rock salt isolated on white. Top view.

© Moving Moment-stock.adobe.com

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

UK Researchers Unveil Microgel Breakthrough That Makes Plant-Based Meat Juicy and Appealing 

Professor Anwesha Sarkar from the University of Leeds and her scientific team have discovered a simple solution to make plant-based meat more palatable: microgels. According to these scientists, one of the “key bottlenecks for consumer acceptability” has been the dry texture and lack of moisture of plant-based meat. But using a process called microgeletion, they can create individual microgels of water and lubricants in dry plant protein used for foods. These capsules, under pressure (biting), explode, thus changing the dry texture of plant-based meat. “What we have done is converted the dry plant protein into a hydrated one, using the plant protein to form a spider-like web that holds the water around the plant protein,” explains Professor Sarkar. Only water and heat Sarkar explains that microgeletion involves …

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Bunge to build soy protein concentrate facility

© Bunge

Agriculture / Agribusiness

Bunge Breaks Ground on $500M Facility to Supply Soy Protein for Plant-Based Foods Market

Global agribusiness firm Bunge announces it has begun construction on a new $500M soybean processing facility in Morristown, Indiana. Opening in mid-2025, the “fully integrated” plant will produce soy protein concentrates and textured soy protein concentrates for the plant-based foods market.  The new facility is adjacent to Bunge’s existing soybean processing plant in Morristown, which focuses on processing soy for animal feed and byproducts like soybean oil. Once operational, the new plant will employ 70 workers and be able to process 4.5 million bushels of soybeans every year.  According to Aaron Buettner, president of food solutions at Bunge, the success of Bunge’s first processing plant influenced the company to re-invest in the Morristown community.  “It’s really the relationship that we have with community and the …

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APPETEX Plant-Based Burger Texture

©Motif FoodWorks

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Motif FoodWorks Announces First Consumer Launch of Motif BeefWorks™ Burger Patties Featuring APPETEX

Boston-based Motif FoodWorks announces it has launched its second food technology ingredient, APPETEX™, for large-scale commercial distribution. Described as a “breakthrough” ingredient, APPETEX is said to enhance the texture of plant-based foods by providing the unique springy and juicy chew found in animal meat products.  To enable consumers to taste the benefits of APPETEX, Motif will offer its first finished products, Motif BeefWorks™ Plant-Based Burger Patties, to consumers beginning in April.  According to Motif, APPETEX (a combination of “appetite” and “texture”) is an edible plant-based  hydrogel that is capable of recreating the bite associated with animal connective tissue. While plant-based proteins like texturized soy or pea protein can mimic the fibrous structure of meat, Motif says, these ingredients fall short in creating the springy “chewdown” …

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Sweets & Snacks

Sponsored Post

Ingredients trends: H&F Pectin improves starch-based vegan gummy confectionery

Gummy and jelly confectionery is a large and important segment of the confectionery industry. Manufacturers and consumers have particularly high demands on the taste, texture, and appearance of vegan alternatives. Starch is often the main ingredient used to gel vegan gummy confectionery. In contrast, the combination of starch with pectin offers a perfect alternative with many advantages over purely starch-based products: ✓ Shorter moulding time ✓ Less stickiness ✓ Better flavour release ✓ Increased throughput ✓ Earlier achievement of product firmness ✓ Reduced energy and storage costs You can save up to 5% starch and replace it with just 1.1% pectin without losing any of the essential texture properties! In addition, there are further advantages: ✓ The use of pectin leads to a less sticky …

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plant-based meat texture for chicken

© Food Evolution

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Italy’s Food Evolution Unveils “New Plant-Based Meat Texture” For Vegan Chicken

Italian startup Food Evolution announces the development of a new plant-based texture for chicken that is claimed to offer cheap yet highly nutritious products. Food Evolution was founded by the Musacchio family, owners of the first vegetarian restaurant in Italy opened in 1979. The family is known for its plant-based cookbooks, its training activities for international chefs and now for producing innovative alt-meat products. Last year, the company completed a multi-million investment round to accelerate its alt-meat development. New plant-based meat texture for chicken Food Evolution is using a High Moisture Wet Extrusion technology, where Dutch scientists from Wageningen University were an integral part of the research process. Alberto Musacchio, CEO of Food Evolution, states: “We stretch the protein cell mechanically and manage to create …

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Firmenich

© Firmenich

Food & Beverage

Firmenich Launches Exclusive Natural Solution For Recreating the Juiciness of Meat in Vegan Alternatives

Swiss flavour and fragrance developer Firmenich this week unveiled Dynarome® SR. This innovative natural ingredient has been created to give consumers an even more authentic experience when consuming plant-based meat alternatives. In particular, to recreate the juiciness of animal meat. “With this innovation, we strive to develop products that consumers will love. For meat alternatives in particular, this means providing our customers with solutions to meet a growing demand from flexitarian consumers for a meat-like taste experience,” said Antje Ratz, Vice President of Firmenich’s SmartProteins® programme. She continued: “The juiciness, succulence and fat persistence of meat are key sensory cues that Dynarome® SR offers for the development of plant-based alternatives. We look forward to exploring this new product line with our customers to create even …

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Motif-Foodworks
Food & Beverage

Motif Foodworks & University of Queensland to Break New Ground in Plant-Based Protein

Motif FoodWorks, an animal-free ingredient innovation company, today announced a partnership with The University of Queensland to test and identify new formulations to improve the texture of plant-based meat products through ​in vitro ​processing. The partnership represents the first time​ in vitro ​oral processing will be applied in the category of meat analogs.

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