Swiss flavor and fragrance company Firmenich has introduced a comprehensive portfolio of “Smart Protein” solutions, including ingredients and delivery technologies designed to create great-tasting plant-based food and beverages. “Combining its mastery of taste, these capabilities enable Firmenich’s customers to create delicious eating experiences across savory, sweet and beverage applications,” notes the company.

“Plant-based protein continues to go mainstream, as many consumers recognize that less meat in their diet is good for them and the planet,” Emmanuel Butstraen, President of Firmenich Flavors tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

To meet this demand, Firmenich has a “major” plant and alternative protein research program that is focused on developing new solutions and technologies to address these challenges, he says. 

“As alternative proteins often disappoint in terms of taste and mouthfeel, our ‘Smart Protein’ solutions are designed to enrich the total eating experience, addressing all product development needs, from great taste and aroma to nutrition and functionality,” he notes. 

If you take a plant-based burger as an example, to replicate the desired aroma, the juiciness and the texture of a great burger requires in-depth knowledge of how to create aroma, taste and texture in this plant-based matrix,” explains Matthew Walter, Director of Global Culinary Centers for Flavors at Firmenich. 

Firmenich has developed expertise and new technologies to address these challenges to develop consumer winning products. “Another challenge is the nutritional quality of the vegan and vegetarian products. They not only have to taste great but also need to be healthy and nutritionally balanced,” he says. 

“What is exciting is wher we are going next,” Walter notes. “What are the products of the future that are not matches of existing products, but new product categories and great tasting products in their own right?” he muses.

“Plant and alternative proteins are definitely here to stay,” Butstraen claims. “Just look at the level of interest from consumers in the recent launches of vegetarian and vegan products that have been embraced by the food retail and foodservice industry. The move to consuming more plant-based protein foods and reducing meat consumption is no longer a trend. It’s a seismic shift that will redefine the food industry.”

Firmenich’s latest portfolio aims to address the crucial challenges associated with plant-based proteins, from off-notes and bitterness to perceived dryness and overall desirability. 

In Savory applications, Firmenich’s taste modulation and delivery technologies offer the fatty succulence and juiciness typical of meat proteins, which are generally missing in their plant-based equivalents, the company notes. As a result, Firmenich has achieved success in a wide range of applications – from meat analogs including vegetarian burgers and sausages, all the way to vegan cheeses and seafood alternatives.   

Extending this innovation to sweet goods and beverages, Firmenich combines a wealth of proprietary technologies, to address the challenges of texture control, flavor release and minimize ingredient interactions during processing. Today, the company has tailored solutions to address bitterness, grittiness and lack of creaminess in plant-based protein yogurts, beverages and fortified bars.   

This launch of the “Smart Protein” capabilities follows a string of recent acquisitions, including Campus, an innovator in natural functional ingredients. “Campus brings an exciting dimension to our Smart Proteins expertise,” comments Mark Bailey, Vice President of Global Business Development at Firmenich. 

“By combining our capabilities, we are setting ourselves up to offer the most comprehensive range of flavor and functional ingredient solutions for protein applications, cutting across animal and plant-based products,” he adds. 

In 2017, Firmenich opened its Culinary Center of Excellence for Smart Proteins in Vienna, as well as hosted its very first conference on alternative and sustainable proteins in Geneva. 

In October 2019, the group will hold its second conference on alternative proteins at Campus’s headquarters in Parma, Italy. The event, catering to culinary thought leaders and experts in the field, will focus on the challenges of creating new and enjoyable flexitarian eating experiences. 

By Elizabeth Green