Community
Print
A biotech company has filed a global patent application for upcycling coffee grounds into a flavor enhancer that could improve plant-based meat.
Fermenstation, a Japanese start-up based in Funabashi City, Chiba, specializes in “transforming unused resources into high-value ingredients.”
Read more: Leading Heart Health Organization Says Eat More Plant Protein, Not Meat
According to the patent, Fermenstation produces the approved food additive glutamyl-valyl-glycine from coffee via an enzymatic reaction. Glutamylvalylglycine is tasteless on its own but effectively binds sugars and oils during cooking.
Glutamylvalylglycine is “a tripeptide bound by three amino acids: glutamate, valine, and glycine.” The patent notes that “adding a small amount improves the ‘richness’ of meat-using products, dairy products, and any food containing fats.”
Spent coffee grounds are typically discarded or used as fertilizer, biofuel, or animal feed, but Fermenstation’s patent shows that they can be transformed into a plant-based flavor enhancer for any food that would benefit from a “rich taste.”
‘We upcycle unused resources using our proprietary fermentation technology’
Glutamylvalylglycine is typically found in animal-based foods, such as scallop and shellfish dishes, or fish sauce, but Fermenstation noted that it is “very meaningful” to find that the food additive can be created using upcycled plant biomass.
Fermenstation is also able to upcycle biomass such as rice bran and soy pulp, an edible but often discarded byproduct of tofu and soy milk production. The company “transforms” these materials using its proprietary fermentation technology.
“We upcycle unused resources using our proprietary fermentation technology to produce and supply unique, sustainable bio-based ingredients,” Fermenstation says on its website. “These ingredients are also designed to improve the taste profile of plant-based products.” However, according to the company, its upcycled ingredients are “not only for enhancing and improving flavor elements such as aroma and richness”; they can also deliver “functional benefits” in the health and beauty space.
Read more: Scientists Just Made A Low-Fat Vegan Cheese With ‘Superior Meltability’
Improving the taste of plant-based meat could improve uptake
NECTAR, a non-profit initiative of the philanthropy platform Food System Innovations, published its second annual Taste of the Industry report in March last year. The report was subtitled “A Sensory Analysis of Plant-Based Meats,” and featured the results of a blind taste test of 122 plant-based alternatives by more than 2,600 meat-eaters.
According to the results, only 30 percent of participants liked the average plant-based meat product, while 68 percent liked traditional, animal-derived meat.
While texture, and to a lesser extent appearance, are also important, the report found that flavor is the biggest obstacle to more widespread acceptance of plant-based foods amongst meat-eaters. Those surveyed notably described alternatives as “savory” 35 percent less often than traditional meat.
Caroline Cotto, the director of Food System Innovations at NECTAR, said, “Companies that prioritize taste generate stronger financial returns and capture more meaningful market share from conventional animal products. Whether you’re a manufacturer, retailer, foodservice operator, investor, or consumer, this report illuminates the path toward a more sustainable food system, acknowledging that the transition must be grounded, above all else, in exceptional taste experiences.”
Please note: PBN runs a sponsored content model. To explore how you can get featured, please email [email protected] or visit everkinddigital.com
