Future Food-Tech is spearheading an Innovation Challenge in partnership with Kellogg Company and Unilever to scale up global start-ups. The F&B heavyweights are targeting emergent solutions that include new plant fibers, valorized waste streams and non-spore food stable probiotics. 

“Staying healthy is a priority for many of us now like it’s never been before. And we know that good health – whether our own health or the health of our planet – begins with the choices we make about food,” D’Anne Hayman, vice president of global innovation and nutrition at the Kellogg Company, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

Future Food-Tech recently hosted a live-streamed webinar to formally introduce the contest, in which key challenges and priorities were spotlighted.

Speakers at the event included Hayman at the Kellogg Company and André Pots, director product and process science foods and refreshment at Unilever.

According to Oliver Katz, conference producer for the Future Food-Tech series who was interviewed prior to this webinar, the COVID-19 pandemic has “accelerated existing trends, not necessarily created new ones.”

Valorizing waste streams and microbiome ingredients
Kellogg Company is focusing on start-ups with new microbiome-based solutions to improve gut wellness. It is doing so in a segment of the Innovation Challenge called “Unlocking New Microbiome-based Innovation for Gut Wellness.”

“One of the most important things is having a succinct and cogent pitch,” says Hayman.

“You shouldn’t just talk about the benefits of what you believe you’re bringing, but also some of the things that illustrate the financial status of your company, as well as your IP protection, technology strategy and technology pipeline,” she continues.

Hayman further highlights that value-added fibers can be processed from waste streams in ways that are cost effective and applicable. “These will be grain-based, vegetable-based or fruit-based. These will be new sources of prebiotics.”

Among other microbiome technologies, Kellogg Company is interested in scaling up non-spore probiotics that remain stable throughout processing, cooking, extrusion and other kinds of processes. 

The company is also looking into the emergent category of “postbiotics,” which are functional bioactive compounds produced during fermentation. 

“Research is continuing to show that they may also be critical in promoting the health and wellness of our gut microbiome,” notes Hayman. 

Elevating organoleptic benchmarks
Unilever’s segment within the Innovation Challenge is entitled “Improving the Taste, Texture, Sustainability & Affordability of Plant-based Meat and Dairy Alternatives.”

The company has set an ambitious target of €1 billion (US$1.2 billion) annual sales turnover from this category to help fuel the transition towards healthier diets that are more environmentally sustainable.

Unilever has set an ambitious target of €1 billion (US$1.2 billion) annual sales turnover from the plant-based meat and dairy category.

During the Future Food-Tech webinar, speakers discussed the recent EU regulatory approval of yellow mealworms as a novel food. Representing Unilever, Pots responded to the question of competition between emergent insect-based ingredients with plant-based proteins in the alternative food arena. 

“In a way, it’s probably a really strong competitor, depending on its functional properties like flavor. There is one big hurdle, which is consumer acceptance in large parts of the world.” 

“It might be relevant for a few markets but its definitely not relevant for the majority of markets. There are low hanging fruits among alternative proteins that we can explore, which are making more sense at this stage.”

“We are definitely not ruling out that in the future. Also insect protein is going to be more relevant than it is today. Again, we need a consumer shift.”

After an in-depth shortlisting process, finalists will pitch their solution to the challenge partners and global audience during the live-streamed virtual Future Food-Tech Summit on March 11 to 12.