Improving plant-based texture: Motif FoodWorks and Australian university partner on sensory processing

11 Dec 2019 --- Motif FoodWorks, a US-based and animal-free ingredient company, has partnered with the University of Queensland (UQ) in Brisbane, Australia, to test and identify new formulations to improve the texture of plant-based products through in vitro processing. The research will drive critical innovation in Motif’s product pipeline of animal-free ingredients, notes the company. Motif seeks to bridge the gap between current plant-based foods and their animal-derived counterparts.

The news comes as plant-based food innovation is in the spotlight. The year 2019 has seen the plant-based movement dominate industry trends, mostly driven by the health-conscious consumer and concerns about environmental impacts. Plant-based growth has expanded into the mainstream this year and is expected to flourish in the years ahead. Innova Market Insights ranked “The Plant-Based Revolution” as second place in its Top Ten Trends list for 2020. The gulf between plant-based and meat products is shrinking as vegan offerings are increasingly catching up to animal proteins in terms of smell, taste and textural sensations.

Texture is crucial
Texture represents one of the most significant sensory gaps between current plant-based meat and their animal-derived counterparts. It is the most significant challenge facing brands that hope to win over consumers in today’s crowded market. The partnership with UQ will arm Motif with insights it can apply to its ingredient discovery process and in turn, help its customers build better products that meet the texture expectations of consumers, the company notes. 

“Ultimately the sensory experience of food – how it tastes, the way it breaks down while it’s chewed – is a significant driver of consumer enjoyment, and getting these factors right becomes even more important when talking about plant-based products consumers will expect to match the experience of their animal-derived counterparts,” Michael Leonard, Chief Technology Officer of Motif tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

With the first bite of any product, one of the first sensory attributes you experience is texture. Getting the mouthfeel right in plant-based foods is critical to consumer acceptance, but unfortunately, texture is one of the biggest sensory gaps between current plant-based meats and their animal-derived analogs, he explains. 

“The plant-based movement is really just beginning, and there are opportunities across the space to improve the experience delivered by current products and innovate on existing ones to convert more plant-curious consumers into regular customers,” he notes. 

Motif’s food science lead, Stefan Baier, will be leading the three-year initiative internally, working with a team of Motif food scientists in partnership with academics in food oral processing and sensory evaluation at UQ, including Professor Jason Stokes, Director of Research at the School of Chemical Engineering and Dr. Heather Smyth, a Senior Research Fellow with the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation.

This partnership represents the first time in vitro oral processing will be applied in the category of meat analogs. “Typically, when formulating new products, food scientists rely solely on in vivo testing, depending on trained sensory panelists to tell them how well a new product simulates the traditional version,” notes Baier.

“This process can be expensive, time-consuming and often subjective since perceptions can vary based on factors like a person’s saliva flow rate and composition,” he adds. 

Oral processing and sensory evaluation
“The University of Queensland’s research in oral processing and sensory evaluation is significant and our work together will provide benefit to our customers and those looking for better plant-based options,” explains Leonard. 

“Getting texture right in plant-based foods is critical to consumer acceptance and, ultimately, a factor that will set category leaders apart. It is Motif’s mission to help our customers bridge the gap between their products and the animal-derived experiences consumers love, and we believe the team at UQ will help us get there.” 

“Ultimately, we feel plant-based food is much more than a passing fad – the emerging technologies and innovations in this space show that animal-free options will only get better and better, and consumers will be able to implement these foods into their regular diets without compromising. Partnering with the UQ gives us the opportunity to progress our mission of producing animal-free ingredients that will enable better-tasting and better-performing and animal-free foods,” Leonard states.

Professor Stokes has been pioneering the in vitro assessment of food oral processing for the last two decades, and together with Dr. Smyth, has developed critical new methods to assess the mouthfeel qualities of foods and link these back to sensory perception. Their expertise will supplement Motif’s work in formulating ingredients that improve specific aspects of plant-based meat analogs.

“Positive textural experiences are critical to sensory enjoyment and consumer product choice,” notes Dr. Smyth. “As we understand more about the complexity of food texture and mouthfeel, we realize how important it is to take a fundamental approach in designing new food products.”

“Oral processing is an essential driver behind the consumer acceptance of food,” says Professor Stokes. “By focusing on the physics, rather than the opinion of the chewer, we can get a more accurate and universal read of what makes food enjoyable to eat. Our work with the Motif team will enable them to translate that knowledge for the production of better, more texturally similar meat analogs moving forward,” he concludes. 

By Elizabeth Green