Bühler bolsters protein partnership with German researchers to develop extruded meat substitutes

31 Aug 2021 --- Swiss technology group Bühler and the German Institute of Food Technologies (DIL) have strengthened their partnership with the inauguration of a technology center designed to develop extruded meat substitutes.

Located in Quakenbrück, Germany, the center provides research, test and production infrastructure to develop healthy, sustainable-protein food products. 

It is fully operational and ready to receive requests from customers.

Proteins of the future 
“The opening of the Technology Center Proteins of the Future emphasizes the strong partnership we have forged with DIL in a very short time frame. With our combined expertise, we are making a vital contribution to closing the protein gap,” says Stefan Scheiber, CEO at Bühler Group.

Bühler CEO, Stefan Scheiber. (Credit: Bühler)The strengthened collaboration builds on work between Bühler and DIL which began at the start of 2021 to propel the sustainable production of healthy extruded meat substitutes – products targeted for their lower environmental impact than the CO2-heavy meat value chain.

“The proteins of the future must be sustainable. Resource consumption in their production must be kept as low as possible through appropriate processing and products to meet the expectations of responsible consumers,” adds Volker Heinz, director and CEO at DIL.

Growing protein demand
Plant-based proteins can contribute to solving the current sustainability challenges. Therefore, it is important to develop underused sources of protein and transform them into attractive, high-quality and affordable products that succeed in the food market. 

According to Innova Market Insights, the use of protein sources in F&B launches is increasing globally, with a growth of more than 6 percent annually.

In 2020 the top category of product launches with tracked protein were Wheat Gluten (21 percent), Milk Protein (17 percent) and Egg Yolk (10 percent). 

The growing consumer demand for healthy, great-tasting and sustainable food products – particularly healthy alternatives to animal proteins and environmentally friendly products – presents huge industry opportunities. 

Advanced extrusion technology 
Extrusion is a key technology to unlock the full functionalities of plant protein. Highly versatile, it enables the formation of texturized proteins with different structures from varying raw materials.

Highly versatile, extrusion enables the formation of texturized proteins with different structures from different raw materials. 

High moisture extrusion enables the conversion of plant proteins into food products with textures similar to meat. The technology is offered among Bühler’s primary capabilities.

“The center – with its advanced technological setup and expert teams – assists our customers in the food industry, as well as start-ups, to fully realize the potential of new plant-based proteins and develop new healthy and environmentally friendly food products for a growing market,” says Johannes Wick, CEO Grains & Food at Bühler Group.

By Gaynor Selby