Let’s be honest: Plant-based protein doesn’t always taste great. Even if you love the idea of eating less meat for your health and the planet, the weird aftertaste of some plant-based meats can be hard to ignore. But that might be about to change.
According to FoodNavigator USA, the flavor company T. Hasegawa USA has developed a high-tech, natural flavor that tackles the unpleasant “off” notes of plant proteins such as pea and soy. The whole technology (and science) behind it is pretty impressive.
When meat sizzles in a pan or bread gets crispy in the toaster, the Maillard reaction creates craveable aromas and flavors. But plant proteins such as soy and pea don’t react the same way during cooking, which can leave them tasting bland or, worse, beany and bitter.
If companies want people to go for meat alternatives, there’s a need to focus on options that taste good and have pleasant textures. As Mark Webster, vice president of sales and marketing at T. Hasegawa, said, “That is where the headwind is.”
The T. Hasegawa team tackled this problem by developing a natural flavor technology called Plantreact that increases Maillard reactions — the chemical processes that give so-called browned foods their flavors.
This innovation doesn’t stop with fake meats. The same flavor solution can also recreate creamy, dairy-like notes in alternative milks and other nondairy products. That’s huge for people who love the idea of oat or almond milk but miss the full-bodied taste of cow’s milk.
Plantreact has been in the works for a while, but it’s now ready to hit the market. T. Hasegawa is already working with food brands to roll it out in products.
Better flavor means plant-based foods are more enjoyable, which makes it easier for more people to cut back on animal products and reduce pollution, conserve water, and shrink their carbon footprints.
This tech is already being explored by plant-based brands looking to improve their products, and it may soon appear in alternative meat and dairy products at your local grocery store.
Combined with the work of companies such as Meati and Perfect Day, this kind of innovation helps build a future in which eating more sustainably doesn’t mean compromising on taste.
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