Moreover, the sensory experience of many foods in the segment has disappointed some consumers that have not been converted into frequent buyers.

Food Ingredients First talks with IFF food technicians working on recreating the familiar bite and chew of meat in plant-based alternatives through binding solutions, which they deem the “secret to making plant-based meats that mimic the real thing.”

This is the ingredient that glues everything together and also determines how the product feels in the mouth. Whether it is a patty, a sausage or a nugget, the binding solution can adjust the texture to make it firmer, softer, juicier or drier – appealing to consumers’ different tastes and preferences.

Bringing plant-based binders up to par
Looking specifically at binders for the texture element, IFF scientists flag that plant-based meat still heavily relies on vegetarian ingredients like egg white to get the mouthfeel right. 

Historically, food formulators have worked with methylcellulose – a leading hydrocolloid, which has faced some scrutiny on its clean label credentials – because it has a strong thermal gel when it heats and provides juiciness through gelling and the right viscosity.

Sonia Huppert, global Innovation marketing leader for Re-imagine protein at IFF.“The gelling power of current abundantly available plant proteins is not comparable to that of egg white or meat protein,” explains Helge Nielsen, principal designer, culinary at IFF.

“We have capabilities to come closer to the real culinary experience people expect from plant-based meats. It begins with a thorough understanding of binding ingredients and how they will be used in a processing facility to make various plant-based applications,” he notes.

IFF offers plant-derived binding solutions under the brands Methocel and Wellence, labeled vegan and non-GMO, which provide shape retention during heating and succulence when consumed.

Methocel and Wellence also act as emulsifiers and remain stable in varying conditions like pH and temperature shifts, exposure to organic acids, mixtures with flavors and passing through freeze cycles.

“Binding in the cold and hot states is challenging without real meat proteins in the formulation,” stresses Vicki Deyarmond, senior designer, IFF’s Nourish division.

The company also has its Vegedan ingredient portfolio made of either pea or soy protein. It offers functionality at both high and low temperatures and can be used in applications ranging from bacon to cold cuts to emulsified sausages.

Soy and pea remain staples
Like many producers, IFF relies largely on soy and pea proteins because they are abundantly available.

“For the time being, soy will continue to be important because other crops are not ready yet and it will take time,” Nielsen notes. “It took five decades to grow the soy business.”

He explains that knowledge acquired over decades has allowed industry to learn how to use all the soybean to create different forms of proteins, isolates, concentrates and texture products that “create the whole muscle sensation.”

He underscores that pea and rapeseed protein will also remain important ingredients. Other proteins will still take time to reach the level of soy.

In the future, some other plant proteins will come to the fore – Nielsen mentions potato protein, for example. Meanwhile, industry has to use binders to “stay vegan” while creating texture, he highlights.

End of plant-based honeymoon?
Sonia Huppert, global Innovation marketing leader for Re-imagine protein at IFF stresses the continued need for plant-based options at every occasion of the day, while meeting taste and texture expectations at the right price point.Helge Nielsen, principal designer, culinary at IFF.

She underscores that some consumers say that “taste is not good enough today for them to go back and repurchase.”

Plant-based foods can often be perceived as “dry” or “astringent” – something that food scientists have been consistently trying to innovate around. Researchers at the University of Leeds in the UK, for instance, recently developed a colloidal technique to unlock the juiciness in meat alternatives without adding fat. 

According to Huppert, while the plant-based market is challenged today, it has continued to grow in Europe.   

“What we have is a market that is not growing at the pace of what it has been and projections of growth that had been done were really very high,” says Huppert.

“Yes, it has slowed down, but it still has a big growth potential.”

“The European market is a strong driver for growth in this segment, as consumers are more aware of the environmental impact of food and governments are implementing policies to reduce the impact of climate warming on food production.”

Plant-based processing 
The level of processing of plant-based foods has come into question in recent years as consumers seek less processed foods for health gains. 

“I think it’s a dream to think that we could recreate the texture and the taste of meat without basically any process. It does require some processing like a lot of other foods that we are eating every day,” Huppert highlights.

Like many producers, IFF relies largely on soy and pea proteins because they are abundantly available.Last September, responding to this concern, scientists at Unilever determined that processing soy in fact increases its nutritional quality, “affirming its status as a valuable source of protein for plant-based foods.”

Nonetheless, IFF underscores that it is working to develop products that are processed as little as possible, while still being “in the space of processed foods.”

Nielsen stresses that processing remains necessary to extract the proteins from the raw materials. Moreover, he notes that the category is “continuing to see better and better products.”

Binders for plant-based seafood
Looking ahead, IFF scientists highlight that industry is still working to provide more advanced fish alternatives. The sector has made significant strides this past year, such as in the case of Israel-based start-up SimpliiGood, which developed a smoked salmon analog, composed of 100% minimally processed spirulina. 

“Binders will always be required. The function of binders will differ in each food application,” says Huppert.

“We are working to create different solutions to address different requirements. The next generation of binders will need to keep in mind lean and clean labeling.”

Helge notes that IFF has a broad portfolio that supplies hydrocolloids from locust gum, fermented beans and gelling gum, among others. The supplier’s Nourish division specializes in a “nutrient-dense hydrocolloid” from red seaweed to stabilize plant-based milks.

“We have the largest portfolio of texture structure and physically stabilizing ingredients,” he concludes.