Developing new flavours for alt-protein products

There has been a rise in adopting plant-based foods in diets worldwide; however, producers face a challenge in finding the right flavour for their products, as nearly half (46%) of plant-based meat consumers say they are looking for a ‘real meaty taste’.

NTU Singapore and food ingredients company Bunge are now collaborating to produce new food flavours through fermentation, including umami, or savouriness, one of the five basic tastes.

Umami, which means ‘pleasant savoury taste’ in Japanese, is recognised scientifically as one of the five basic tastes along with sweet, sour, bitter and salty. Its characteristic savoury and meaty flavour profile enhances the taste of food by adding depth and richness.

In a research collaboration agreement, Bunge will develop the new flavours by leveraging the research capabilities and technologies at NTU’s Food Science and Technology Programme (FST). This agreement is also the first successful partnership under the Singapore Agri-food Innovation Lab (SAIL).

Funded by Enterprise Singapore (ESG), SAIL aims to enhance the agri-food innovation ecosystem by connecting solution providers with multinational corporations, which are looking for market-driven solutions.

Bunge will supply fats and oils derived from oilseeds — soybean, canola and sunflower — as well as oilseed meal and oilseed cake, which are formed after oil is extracted from the oilseeds.

The technology not only produces enzymes, acids or flavours for food production, but also offers a new use for oilseed meal and cake, which are normally used in livestock feed.

To develop the new flavours, which will be used in alternative protein and plant-based protein products, NTU’s FST, led by its Director, Professor William Chen, will be employing a technology called solid-state fermentation (SSF), which is claimed to be more cost-effective than conventional fermentation techniques, as it uses fewer resources such as water and electricity.

Image courtesy of NTU Singapore.

“In this collaboration with Bunge, NTU Singapore will be replicating meat flavours that allow for culinary versatility, enabling the creation of diverse plant-based dishes that align with traditional tastes and cultural preferences. This strategic approach aims to make alternative proteins competitive, nutrient-dense and appealing to a broad audience, including those transitioning from traditional meat-based diets. Our solid-state fermentation technique would also present a solution to by-products, such as oilseed cake, and find a way to value-add to them and unlock the essential proteins within,” Chen said.

Top image credit: iStock.com/fcafotodigital