Anuga 2023: Seaweed caviar, plant-based meat and alternative proteins in the spotlight

13 Oct 2023 --- The growing consumer and industry interest in plant-based protein sources was present at the global food and beverages trade fair this year, with companies showcasing their alternatives to well-known animal-based food products. 

Food Ingredients First dives into some of these plant-based meats and seafood innovations. We talked to Beyond Meat, Eurocaviar and Plantway about their product presentations at Anuga 2023. 

“Our food system has to change,” underscores Benjamin Döring, regional field marketing manager Europe at Beyond Meat. 

“We recently conducted research with the University of Michigan, finding that we can positively impact the planet. If you compare them to a beef-based burger, our products need 99% less water and 93% less land, resulting in 90% less energy and 46% less fuel emissions.”

Beyond Steak 
At the trade fair, Beyond Meat showcased its range of plant-based meat options, such as the Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage, and introduced its latest innovation, the Beyond Steak. 

“They are perfect small steak pieces, plant-based, primarily made from fava bean and wheat protein,” details Döring. “It has a nice crispy outside and a tender inside because you just want a nice plant-based steak piece.” 

Döring explains that products have to meet consumer standards on preparation, nutrition and price for animal-based products to deliver plant-based proteins. 

Benjamin Döring, regional field marketing manager Europe at Beyond Meat.“You want to have the same sizzling smell and smoke around the barbecue,” he continues. “We need to be at least equal to the nutrition you can receive from animal-based meat.”

“But also, we have a clear goal to deliver on price. The moment we are cheaper, it’s a no-brainer that you want to go for all the favorite recipes that you have got.”

Seaweed caviar 
Spanish-based Eurocaviar produces several alternatives to caviar, creating similar spheres as the fish eggs but using fish meat. In addition, the company offers a seaweed alternative to caviar using wakame and codium seaweeds. 

Chari Serrano Navarro, in charge of sales and operations at Eurocaviar, explains: “We apply the technique of spherification to obtain wakame in a pearl, which is the most popular seaweed we have. They can be used in Asian cuisines, sushi, different types of Japanese dishes, or as a topping on salad.” 

The company also creates spheres from codium seaweed, a rare seaweed from Galicia, northwest Spain. It has a deeper taste, explains Navarro, and allows the company to diversify its products. 

“We have a few projects in the future to bring different seaweeds from various parts of the world using the same technique to produce different taste profiles.”

The wakame and codium spheres can be added to hot and cold dishes and are vegan, halal and kosher certified. 

Plant-based chicken 
Tomasz Woźniakowski, co-founder of Plantway, introducesthe Polish company’s main product of KU*CZAK classic: plant-based chicken chunks based on pea protein. 

“We produce our product with high-moisture extrusion (HME) technology, which ensures our ingredient list is short and we have a high protein content, we reach up to around 30%. The main ingredients are protein, fibers, oil, water and spices in some products.” 

Woźniakowski explains that HME technology is still relatively new on the market. It entails converting proteins and polysaccharides into a fibrous structure with a high water content and a meat-like appearance. 

Plantway offers plant-based chicken in different versions, a classic, unseasoned version mainly targeted at chefs so they can add different flavors. In addition, the company targets the retail market with gyros and Indian curry-flavored plant-based chicken chunks.

“We are also working on a sterilized product with a 12-month shelf life that doesn’t require refrigeration,” concludes Woźniakowski. “We are currently testing the sterilization process, which makes the product perfectly clean inside so that it keeps on the shelf for a long time.”

By Jolanda van Hal