Pioneering with plant-based proteins

A clear tendency is visible: compared with 20 years ago, more consumers are prepared to replace meat in their meals with a plant-based protein product nowadays. Hence, much research is being done around the world into the opportunities offered by all types of plant-based proteins, and that is resulting in a growing number of appealing products.

For the food industry and developers of protein products, one important reason to seek alternatives to animal-based products is sustainability. The pressure is on to find alternatives, according to alarming reports from the FAO, in order to bridge the so-called ‘protein gap’: the future protein shortage which will affect human food and animal feed. But simply labelling a product as ‘sustainable’ and/or ‘made using plant-based proteins’ is not enough to win over the critical consumer. The taste and mouthfeel of the new products must be good too.

An overview of plant-based proteins

• Soy protein: Soy is the major pillar of the plant-based protein products. Thanks to their functional versatility, soy proteins can be used in a wide variety of texturised products, ranging from snacks to plant-based ‘chicken fillets’ and the infamous soy burger.
• Pea protein: Pea proteins are clearly on the rise, and the demand currently exceeds production capacity. In addition to taste and texturisability, pea proteins are also a nutritionally interesting meat replacement.
• Rice protein: Rice protein is a relative newcomer (it was first launched in the USA in 2009) which is obtained from brown rice. A patented enzymatic extraction process is used to isolate the rice proteins. Applications of rice protein include drinks, bakery products and sports nutrition products.
• Gluten: Vital wheat gluten has been produced for many years, such as for uses in the bakery sector. In recent years, consumer awareness of gluten intolerance and a growing preference for gluten-free has resulted in increased reticence in its use. Nevertheless, gluten has interesting functionalities (elasticity, firmness) which can improve the texture/structure of products.
• Microalgae: Research is currently being conducted into the production of microalgae and algae-based protein in various locations in the USA and Europe. Just like meat, algae-based protein has a high nutritional value in terms of the protein composition. And as an added bonus, some algae also contain lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which can help to combat macular degeneration (an eye condition which damages the retina).
• Sunflower and rapeseed: People are mainly familiar with sunflower and rapeseed in the context of vegetable oils. However, the sunflower or rapeseed meal which is a by-product of plant-based oil production still contains a lot of protein. It is by no means impossible to extract and purify those proteins and this is already being done with rapeseed protein in Canada, for example.
• Hemp, alfalfa and fava beans: Various studies are currently ongoing into fava bean protein. These proteins are primarily regarded as a replacement for soy in reformulated products. Hemp protein is still in the pioneer phase but various products have already been made which contain it, including cookies and muffins. 

Meat replacements

Many innovative companies are emerging who are using plant-based proteins to manufacture products which are impossible to distinguish from meat-based products. For example, Prof Fu-hung Hsieh (University of Missouri) spent years working on the optimisation of an extrusion process to make so-called ‘chicken strips’ from soy protein. He and his students eventually managed to create a product that is virtually identical to real chicken. The company Beyond Meat has licensed the technology and the resulting products are now enjoying commercial success. The company works with a broad definition of ‘meat’: “Is meat not just a reconstruction of the protein chains that the animal intakes from chiefly plant-based sources? So what if we use an extruder instead of a living animal to reassemble the plant-based proteins? That technology still enables us to make meat, doesn’t it? That’s why we call it: ‘Beyond Meat’.”

Technologies

Extrusion technology is central when it comes to obtaining texturised products. But other techniques such as shear cell (WUR) or mixed agglomeration enable food technologists to create various textures using plant-based proteins. Not all of the proteins mentioned in this article are already being produced in sufficient volumes, but many food technologists believe the following: “Irrespective of the plant-based protein source, with the application of the right processing conditions a protein can be converted into any desired structure and texture.” Needless to say, substantial research is still required in order to find the right combination of plant-based protein and processing conditions to obtain the optimal texture.

Acceptance

There is tremendous enthusiasm among the new generation of plant-based protein pioneers. For example, work is underway to develop an even juicier plant-based burger. Some even believe that a real plant-based steak could become reality, with the right colouring and which even oozes a little ‘blood’ when it is cut into. But at the end of the day, the consumer will determine the success and longevity of such innovations.

Sources:

M.E. Kuhn, A new crop of plant protein pioneers, Food Technology 12 (dec), 2014
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Rome, Italy

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