Plant proteins: Givaudan addresses the meat analog flavor challenge

23 May 2018 --- The trend towards health & wellness, and the growth in flexitarianism, are leading the rising demand for plant-based alternatives to meat protein as consumers seek healthier options. As a result, by 2050, demand for meat is expected to increase by 70 percent, surpassing supply. Plant-based meat analogs are therefore increasingly being seen as an alternative. Flavor supplier Givaudan has been involved in plant proteins and meat analogs for many years and has developed solutions for the established technologies used in the market.

Looking ahead, there are three main factors creating a perfect opportunity for meat analogs to prosper: consumer concerns over health, environment and ethical treatment of animals. Sustainability, ethical and animal welfare concerns are also driving demand. While the demand is increasing, the main barrier for consumers is that products fall short of the expected taste experience and Givaudan is investing in new technologies to address this barrier.

FoodIngredientsFirst caught up with Flavio Garofalo, Global Business Development Manager for Protein at Givaudan, who discussed the company's role and successes in plant-based products.

“The experience of consuming meat analogs goes well beyond the flavor. It includes every consumer sense from handling the product before cooking, to the sound created by moisture and fat release during cooking, to the color change as a product heats up, and to the texture, taste and aroma experienced during consumption. Givaudan is investing in a deep understanding of consumer needs and expectations, and the product design and process options available to manufacturers,” he explains.

Longer term, Givaudan is also investing in new technologies that promise to address some of the most difficult textural challenges. “We are the only flavor company involved in the Plant Meat Matters consortium, a consortium led by Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, which is working to produce plant substitutes for beef. This addresses the strong consumer demand for alternative proteins driven by a desire for nutritious and sustainable products,” he states.

“Plant Meat Matters is focusing on scaling-up and commercializing an alternative meat prototype that is made using vegetable protein that resembles real steak meat, not processed or ground meat. Givaudan brings world-leading taste capabilities for meat analogs to the table, playing the critical role of creating flavor solutions to make the new plant-based meat taste delicious,” Garofalo notes.

Launched in 2017, the Plant Meat Matters project has a four-year duration and is progressing well, with the first products expected to be available from 2019.

Creating authentic beef and chicken flavors, that are also vegan, is a big challenge, according to Garofalo.

Garofalo says that working with high levels of plant proteins brings three additional main challenges:

Plant proteins do not have the texture of animal proteins. The process to create texture involves adding water and heat to unfold the protein and then cooling it while elongating it to create fibers that resemble meat protein. The addition of heat poses a challenge for flavor stability.
Proteins tend to trap flavor molecules in its structure. Additionally, not all flavor components are trapped in the same way, creating profile imbalances and increasing cost.
Soy and wheat are most commonly used in the industry, and due to their properties and cost, will continue being a main source of protein. However, new sources of protein like pea and oat are appearing in the market because of their non-GMO and gluten-free properties that consumers are demanding.

Givaudan is continuously working on addressing these challenges not only from a flavour per-spective, but also considering the full consumer experience. For example, in the plant meat matters consortium we are using flavours to complement the physico-chemical approach taken by other members in the consortium to enhance the fatty and juicy taste impression.

Garofalo remains confident on the potential to meet the protein demands of a global population of 10 billion by 2050. “To meet the protein needs in 2050 we do not need to replace meat completely – it is likely a 10-20 percent average reduction of meat consumption per capita would suffice to have enough protein for everyone. This is because to produce 1kg of meat protein you need about 2-5kg of vegetable protein.”

“Therefore, we believe that meeting the global protein demands of a growing population is possible – and what is needed in order to achieve this is just what Givaudan is doing – continuous innovation and support for those working on new protein sources and technologies,” he explains. “We know that this is a huge task. We are looking for ideas, solutions and partners to improve the eating experience of meat analogs, and to develop alternatives that have the nutritional and functional aspects of meat, without necessarily imitating it.”

In addition to the involvement with the Plant Meat Matters consortium, Givaudan also have a partnership with the Sutardja Centre for Entrepreneurship & Technology (SCET) at the University of California, Berkeley.

“Here we are providing help and support to students who are engineering plant-based meat analogues. We have also issued a technical challenge to the students to create a plant-based product that includes intracellular fat and water to improve the performance of current meat analogue processes, to help them to create great-tasting end products for the future.” Garofalo concludes.

By Robin Wyers & Elizabeth Green