Plant-based protein functionality probed as Motif FoodWorks partners with US university

05 Feb 2020 --- Motif FoodWorks, an animal-free ingredient innovation company, has partnered with the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass), US, to optimize the process of characterizing functional properties of food proteins, including their solubility, stability, color and other properties critical to the production of successful plant-based products. This research will drive key efficiencies in Motif’s protein formulation process. Michael Leonard, Motif’s Chief Technology Officer, tells FoodIngredientsFirst, “We are laser-focused on uncovering the attributes of great tasting food, at the molecular level, and recreating those properties without using animal products.”

The majority of the functionality tests currently performed by food scientists are based on processes that were developed in the 1950s and rely on significant sample sizes – 50 to 100 grams – to determine whether a particular sample demonstrates desired properties. As companies across the F&B industries are increasingly looking to expand the scope and sophistication of the plant-based products they have to offer consumers, the processes behind these products need to evolve to ensure continued innovation and growth in the market.

“Brands know they have one shot to win over consumers who expect their plant-based foods to taste and perform like the real thing. If a plant-based burger or cup of almond milk doesn’t taste as good as their animal-based counterparts, or doesn’t cook in the same way, or the texture feels wrong – consumers will most likely not be coming back for seconds,” Leonard notes. 

With more plant-based foods hitting the market, the technologies producing them continuing to advance and consumers increasingly interested in making better dietary choices for themselves and for the planet, Leonard expects the plant-based movement to grow, offering more choices for vegans, flexitarians and plant-curious carnivores alike. “At Motif, we see a long term opportunity to fine-tune the experience of eating these products – honing the texture, taste and appearance – of eating everything from plant-based burgers to animal-free cheese and yogurt,” he explains. 

“More than a passing fad”
Ultimately, we feel that demand for plant-based foods is much more than a passing fad. The rapid innovation happening across the space demonstrates that animal-free options will only get better and better, and consumers will be able to increasingly incorporate these foods into their regular diets without compromising on the eating experience,” Leonard continues. Motif will play an important role in advancing these technologies and innovations through systems-based, food science-focused approach to ingredient development.

Together, UMass and Motif will work to characterize key properties of food-grade proteins at lower protein concentrations, as well as develop miniaturized versions of these test methods so that small amounts of proteins can be rapidly analyzed. Motif's partnership with UMass will enable the rapid screening of high quantities of proteins so promising leads can be scaled up efficiently, diminishing the risk of pursuing the wrong leads early on in the formulation process.

“There is still so much to learn about the functionality of plant-based proteins,” Leonard stresses. “Partnering with research universities with deep food science experience, like UMass Amherst and the University of Queensland, will help to deepen our understanding of how plant-based ingredients and foods perform at a fundamental level. Additionally, our partnership with Ginkgo Bioworks is giving us access to unparalleled capabilities to screen for animal-free ingredients and sources of functionality,” he continues. This knowledge will allow Motif to optimize plant-based food formulations and processes, furthering their mission of producing animal-free ingredients that will enable better-tasting and performing plant-based foods without sacrificing taste or texture.

According to Leonard, all proteins – regardless of their provenance – present unique formulation and testing challenges. “The physicochemical complexity of plant and animal proteins used in food is tremendous, and it’s in understanding and harnessing this complexity with deep food science knowledge and applications expertise that make a significant difference in the performance of plant-based foods,” he comments. 

“Our partnership with UMass will allow us to optimize the process of characterizing functional properties of food ingredients using very small sample quantities compared to assays that are currently available,” notes Leonard. “These small-scale assays support our high-throughput ingredient screening efforts and address key functional properties that help to predict the behavior of an ingredient in a food product, such as solubility, oxidative stability and color.” This research will drive significant efficiencies in Motif’s ingredient development process, he adds. 

Current estimates state that food production will need to increase 70 percent globally by 2050 to keep pace with a growing population, and current agricultural production processes – which account for one-third of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions – are unsustainable. “Creating plant-based proteins through fermentation can also help to address some of the challenges in scale and sustainability facing our current food system,” mentions Leonard. 

Stefan Baier, Head of Food Science at Motif, will lead the two-year initiative in partnership with top academics at the UMass Department of Food Science; Professor Eric Decker, Professor Julian McClements and Professor Hang Xiao. Together they represent three of the most recognized experts in food science, with expertise in lipid oxidation, protein functionality, structural design, natural product, chemistry, bioavailability and metabolism.

“When it comes to protein functionality, there are certain physical and chemical attributes that are critical to the ultimate success of a plant-based product – things like solubility, or how the protein will emulsify. These characteristics become key pieces in the roadmap to ultimately formulating a protein that will perform the way you need it to,” says Baier. “Being able to identify these properties at smaller concentrations will help us better select promising leads earlier in the process.”

“We are trying to solve very complex problems for our customers – helping them to create plant-based foods that meet consumer expectations – and that work begins at the formulation level,” adds Leonard. 

“Our partnership with UMass will help make a critical part of Motif’s process more efficient, optimizing our ability to identify and scale promising protein leads and ultimately enabling us to provide better ingredients to our customers, faster,” he concludes.

By Elizabeth Green