French plant-based specialist Roquette has added a new ingredient to its range of Nutralys plant proteins in response to increasing demand for lower-salt products.
The L85M speciality ingredient further expands its pea protein range and is designed to help reduce salt in plant-based meats.
Roquette said it could customise Nutralys to suit the functional and nutritional requirements of different food segments, with L85M assisting consumers in the management of their daily sodium intake.
Demand for clean-label
Ulrick & Short is capitalising on demand with a new clean-label ingredient for plant-based and flexitarian meat products. The latest addition to its protein range, Complex T16 has been designed specifically to improve the texture of vegan or flexitarian meat analogues.
It said this would provide a more “meaty” bite and mouthfeel to products, allowing manufacturers to mimic the eating quality of meats.
Ulrick & Short development technologist Emma Walker said vegan and flexitarian analogues brought with them multiple textural and structural challenges.
“The increased competition, coupled with the fast-moving nature of the sector, means suppliers and manufacturers need to be proactive in their NPD, and investigate new ingredients and technologies to deliver the level of quality to satisfy an ever-more demanding customer base,” Walker said. “The novel Complex T16 ingredient allows manufacturers to meet consumer demand.”
Developments at Beneo
Meanwhile, Beneo said it had recognised that wheat-based protein was one of the most promising in the field of meat substitute applications for vegetarian burgers, nuggets, sausages and ready meals.
This has prompted the firm to add it as a new variant to its portfolio. It said BeneoPro W-Tex was “high in protein, has a neutral taste, fast hydration and stable texture”. Beneo added that it had a “fibrous, meat-like texture and juicy mouthfeel after hydration” that could challenge animal-based proteins on taste and texture.
Finally, edible oils and fats producer Bunge Loders Croklaan has introduced 100% plant-based fats designed as replacements to meat fats. It said these mimicked the sensory characteristics of the “real thing”.
