Protein function

Terra Vegane’s Vegan 4-Pepper Salami

Source: terravegane.de8 The Terra Vegane Vegan 4-Pepper Salami is made with a mix of four colourful peppers and contains protein from lupin, oats and wheat. Their vegan salami is said to make a good pizza or sandwich topper or can be enjoyed as a snack.9

Protein function for sensorial quality

According to Laurice Pouvreau, Senior Scientist Protein Technology at Wageningen University & Research, texture, flavour and juiciness in a meat analogue product are the most important qualities for market success 10 She told delegates at Fi Europe CONNECT 2020 that;

“What we hear from consumers is that plant-based meat analogues are often perceived as dry. They need to possess sensorial quality, by which I mean a good texture, a good bite, while it’s also important to have a juicy product.” 10

Every plant protein ingredient has different functional properties, making it more or less adaptable to meat analogue products

insights.figlobal.com

Source: Wageningen University & Research, presentation at Fi Europe CONNECT 2020, “Structuring of plant products towards meat analogues - technologies and ingredients”10

According to Pouvreau, up to 70% of new products in meat analogues are based on soy protein and wheat gluten – and with good reason

“Soybean is highly functional for application in meat analogues, as well as gluten,” she said, although she highlighted their allergenicity and concerns over genetic modification of soy in Europe as potential drawbacks

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Pouvreau said that;

“The trend right now is making more use of yellow pea protein, or lupin, and you can also see mung bean appearing for meat analogues. Yellow pea is, from a nutritional point of view and a sustainability point of view, a very good crop and source of protein. It is a little less functional, so it needs different processing conditions to be able to use it in meat analogues, and one of the benefits is it is also non-allergenic.”10