- Chr. Hansen is unveiling its new culture range for plant-based meat alternatives. The bioscience player is extending the Vega Culture Kit portfolio with a fermentation-enabled solution geared to keeping alt-meat fresh.

Chr. Hansen steps into the plant-based range with the Vega Safepro culture line to mitigate spoilage and keep plant-based alternative proteins safe for longer.

Cutting salt
The new range is poised to help food innovators reduce sodium levels in their products positioned as alternatives to the high-salt options on the market.

“Plant-based meat alternatives tend to have high levels of sodium due to the addition of buffered vinegars or different salts used for food preservation, such as sodium acetate or sodium lactate,” Zdenek Cech, business development manager for plant-based meat alternatives at Chr. Hansen explains.

“With our new cultures, producers may be able to reduce the sodium content in their products, relying on the power of fermentation to support shelf stability, so foods remain safe and fresh, naturally,” he says. 

The Vega Safepro culture range is poised to help food innovators reduce sodium levels as it is an alternative to the high salt options on the market.Propelling plant-based
Chr. Hansen stresses that consumer demand for healthy and sustainable foods spurs growth in plant-based categories. 

Cech continues that the “flexitarian lifestyle” has accelerated innovation within the plant-based space and drives companies like Chr. Hansen to come up with solutions like Vega Safepro.

“Flexitarians place a large emphasis on the consumption of plant-based foods while incorporating meat and other animal products in moderation. A full 42% of global consumers reported avoiding certain animal-based products in 2021, and Vega Safepro cultures will make it even easier for them to find options that satisfy their cravings without asking them to compromise on their values,” Cech adds. 

Last May, Chr. Hansen initially launched the Vega Culture Kit, “essential for crafting superior vegurts.” The Vega Culture Kit consists of customizable starter cultures, probiotics and bioprotective strains for dairy-free alternatives to yogurt.

Mitigating mold and contaminants 
The expanded Vega range consists of three cultures that can be applied alone or in combination to undergo fermentation, which helps stem the growth of unwanted lactic acid bacteria strains, yeast, mold and contaminants such as listeria.The Vega Safepro culture range is poised to help food innovators reduce sodium levels as it’s an alternative to the high salt options on the market.

While plant-based meat alternatives are in greater demand than ever, flexitarian consumers have high standards, expecting great taste, healthy ingredients and minimal processing, all without the additives they prefer to avoid in their foods, Chr. Hansen notes.

Producers hoping to succeed in this space must tailor their recipes accordingly, balancing shelf life stability with simple ingredients whose names consumers recognize.

Utilizing good bacteria to maximize safety & freshness
Fermentation has helped feed communities and protect food stores for thousands of years.

Today, fermentation also enhances the sustainability profile of food brands by reducing food waste.

“We hope that with Vega Safepro, our customers come to see us as a close partner as they innovate new offerings for plant-based meat alternatives,” continues Cech.

“Meeting the challenge of creating delicious products that are safe from the start and stay safe for a longer time.”

The new range is the culmination of years of research and testing, featuring strains that have proven their ability to help stem the growth of contaminants and crowd out yeasts, molds and pathogens in plant-based chicken strips or in cooked, ready-to-eat products.

“As we look ahead, we believe the plant-based trend is here to stay and will only continue to grow,” Cech concludes.

By Gaynor Selby