Wheat Protein

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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PureField Ingredients wheat blue

©PureField Ingredients

Cultivated Meat

Study: Non-Allergenic Wheat Protein Could Act as a Scaffold for Cultivated Meat

A study published in the journal ACS Biomaterials & Engineering has investigated the potential of glutenin — a non-allergenic wheat protein — to act as a scaffold for cultivated meat production. Researchers isolated glutenin from gluten, before forming it into flat and ridge-patterned films. Mouse cells that develop into skeletal muscle were then placed on the films and incubated for two weeks. Cells successfully grew and proliferated on both films. By the second week, they had formed long parallel bundles replicating the fiber structure of muscles. The performance was not as good as gelatin-based films, but was considered sufficient. Further work could improve how cells attach to the plant-based films. Another test was carried out with mouse cells that produce fat tissues. These also proliferated …

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Amber Wave has installed what it claims is North America’s largest wheat protein ingredients facility.

© Amber Wave
Manufacturing & Technology

Amber Wave Launches Production at Wheat Protein Facility Set to Become the Largest in North America

Amber Wave, a US supplier of high-quality wheat protein, announces it has begun production at what it claims is to become North America’s largest wheat protein ingredients facility, following an investment from the agribusiness operator and investment manager Summit Agricultural Group. Located in Phillipsburg, Kansas, the “state-of-the-art facility” has been equipped with the latest technology in milling, wheat protein extraction, and renewable biofuels. It includes a 27,500 cwt (hundredweight) flour mill and two silos for grain storage. “Utilizing world-class automation, superior equipment, and an exceptionally trained workforce, we will produce a high-quality domestic wheat protein ingredient. Safety, quality, and sustainability were key areas of focus as we progressed through the project phase,” said Steve Adams, COO of Amber Wave in a statement. Wheat protein and …

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Fava Beans

Image provided by BENEO

Ingredients

BENEO Launches Rice, Wheat, and Fava Protein Concentrates for Healthy Pet Diets

German ingredients manufacturer BENEO has introduced a new range of high-quality and non-GMO vegetal protein concentrates — a toolbox for manufacturers developing natural, plant-based pet food products for healthy pet diets. Featuring locally sourced, non-GMO rice, wheat gluten, and faba protein, BENEO claims its new range of concentrates provides specific nutritional and technical benefits such as high protein content, high digestibility, and excellent amino acid profiles.  “Pet food manufacturers are increasingly facing lower availability and price volatility, mainly for meat (co)products. As a result, many producers are willing to explore new protein sources and diversify their portfolio,” says Beneo. Rice  BENEO claims that its rice concentrate provides approximately 80% of proteins. It is highly digestible, offering essential amino acids such as methionine, cysteine, phenylalanine, and tyrosine, …

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Lantmännen's new biorefinery

Image credit: Lantmännen LinkedIn
Manufacturing & Technology

Lantmännen Invests SEK800M in New Biorefinery to Meet Growing Demand for Wheat Protein

Swedish cooperative Lantmännen officially inaugurated yesterday a new biorefinery in Norrköping, Sweden, designed to extract wheat protein, known as gluten.  In an announcement, Lantmännen said that it invested SEK 800 million in the new facility and hired 30 new employees to increase its production significantly to meet demand, as more businesses discover new uses for the gluten as an ingredient. “The demand for Swedish wheat protein is high both nationally and internationally. It is very positive that we can offer more customers our high-quality wheat protein,” said Lars-Gunnar Edh, Head of Energy Sector, Lantmännen. Another milestone Lantmännen is an agricultural cooperative owned by over 19,000 Swedish farmers with operations in over 20 countries and an annual turnover of over €4.5 billion.  Swedish farmers provide raw wheat …

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Seitan wraps, image from AGRANA

Image supplied by AGRANA
Fairs & Events

AGRANA to Showcase Vegan Ice Cream & Wheat-Based Alt Meat at BIOFACH Fair

Fruit, starch, and sugar group AGRANA is set to attend the BIOFACH fair, the world’s largest trade fair for organic foods. AGRANA will exhibit a range of organic products at the event in Nuremberg, Germany. These will include some plant-based options, such as a new coconut-based ice cream with red berries and chai spices. The company will also display grain proteins such as vital wheat gluten, which can be used to make meat alternatives. Gluten is said to be an excellent protein source, with remarkable water absorption and viscosity properties that can improve the texture of plant-based meats. Available to sample BIOFACH visitors will be able to sample AGRANA’s meat alternatives in the form of a BBQ wrap with spicy pepper-onion sauce and a chicken-style …

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Loryma_Vegan Chicken made from wheat ingredients_Copyright Loryma

Vegan Chicken made from wheat ©Loryma
Company News

Loryma to Present Wheat Solutions at Chicago’s IFT FIRST as Prelude to New US Subsidiary

Loryma, a leader in texturized wheat proteins, will present its ingredients and application concepts for meat alternatives at IFT FIRST at booth S2173. The German company’s texturate range has been proven to replicate chicken drumsticks as well as ground meat for sausages. Loryma’s IFT FIRST presentation in July will act as a prelude to extended business relations in the USA; in 2023 it will open up a US subsidiary to help meet increasing demand for plant-based ingredients. Recreating crispy chicken skin with plants Loryma has created drumsticks consisting of Lory® Tex Chunks, particularly long-fibre textured wheat proteins, which the company says perfectly imitate the fibres of grown muscle meat due to their unique structure. The chicken skin is created with a wheat-based coating system that …

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PureField Ingredients wheat blue

©PureField Ingredients

Agriculture / Agribusiness

PureField Ingredients Expands Wheat Protein Production by 50% Despite Shortage in The US

PureField Ingredients, the largest domestic supplier of wheat protein in the United States, just announced that it has completed the expansion of a US facility to meet the growing demand for wheat protein. The expansion of its facility in Kansas commenced in 2020 and increased PureField’s annual production by 50% of its Heartland brand protein, positioning the company to help meet increasing demand from the rapidly expanding wheat protein market. This expansion enhances PureField’s ability to serve customers with its reliable, American-made wheat protein. Wheat protein shortage in the US While the global demand for wheat protein is increasing, the US is experiencing a wheat protein shortage due to a twofold plague in 2021, a low-protein winter wheat crop and limited spring wheat production. As …

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Henrik Hetzer Managing Director Loryma GmbH_copyright Crepel&Deiters
Interviews

Loryma: “The Need for Environmentally Friendly & High Quality Food Will Continue to Rise”

Henrik Hetzer Managing Director Loryma GmbH_copyright Crepel&Deiters
Henrik Hetzer Managing Director Loryma GmbH © Crepel&Deiters

Loryma is an international food ingredients developer and producer of plant-based raw materials specialising in wheat and textured proteins made of wheat for meat alternatives. Loryma provides solutions in food security and addresses future-oriented themes around foodstuffs which can replace animals.

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