From sunflower side-streams to meat alternatives

European research organisations and businesses have launched a research project that is working to use sunflower press-cakes as a source of protein in meat alternatives.

VTT, DSM, DIL German Institute of Food Technologies, University of Helsinki and ABP Beef will all be working on the Taste2Meat project which is focused on the development of meat alternatives. The VTT Technology Centre of Finland is coordinating the project, which is funded by the EIT Food.

Sunflower press-cake is a side stream obtained from sunflower oil production so this project will help to upcycle this waste into a protein ingredient for meat alternatives. The project will also use pea and rapeseed proteins as co-ingredients together with sunflower protein.

Nesli Sözer, Research Professor at VTT, said: “Our food system is going through unprecedented crisis and there is even a higher risk of global food security compared to 2–3 years ago. Therefore, we must efficiently utilise existing plant-based side-streams as high-value protein ingredients for food.

“[The] Taste2Meat project contributes to zero waste and sustainable food system by upcycling sunflower press-cake as protein ingredient and designing both hybrid (meat and plant protein) and solely plant protein-based tasty meat alternatives to European consumers.

“We are especially interested in a rising number of flexitarians, who integrate plant-based products in their diet but consume mainly meat products. Tasty meat alternatives and hybrids create new business opportunities and enable smooth transition for people to increase the amount of plant-based ingredients in their diet.”

One of the goals of the project is to make it easy for products to enter the alternative protein market. During the project, consumer studies will be carried out to understand their perceptions of these products.

“Consumer acceptance has a key role in development of feasible business cases around meat alternatives. Sensory properties such as taste and meat-like texture are the most influential predictors of meat alternatives acceptance,” Sözer said.

More information about the Taste2Meat project is available on the EIT Food site.

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