Givaudan, the world’s leading flavour and fragrance company, has announced an entirely new approach to transform the taste experience of meat substitutes created from textured vegetable protein, a type of protein used extensively in plant-based meat alternatives.

Conventionally flavor has been added after the texturizing process, producing an intense but short-lived experience. Adding flavor during or before texturizing is not commonly done because the flavor affects the texture of the product, and the flavor performance is affected by the texturization process.

Dr. Flavio Garofalo, Global Category Director, Savoury Flavors and Natural Ingredients explains: “Givaudan has studied how to best flavor high moisture texturized protein and has developed strategies to maximize performance and produce a much longer lasting authentic meat flavour which, when combined with post-texturizing marinating, transforms the taste experience of plant-based texturized vegetable protein.”

Developed as part of Givaudan’s extensive, industry leading program in protein, these advancements have been the result of many hours of research, trial and learning, where even minute changes in flavor composition, water or temperature can have a dramatic effect on the end result.

Textured vegetable protein, typically soya, has long been a staple of meat substitutes with the texture created by transforming the globular vegetable protein into long fibers that are typical in meat.

“Vegetable protein’s globular format is transformed into longer fibers to produce a meat-like texture by extrusion, essentially a kneading process similar to that of bread making. This has been successful in terms of texture, but not so much in terms of taste”, adds Garofalo.

“It is almost as much of an art as a science. In addition to great flavor, there is also texture and mouthfeel to consider, and we have developed the whole package.”

This new flavor technique is supported by skilled and knowledgeable food scientists who can create the optimum texture and appearance for applications such as meat free chicken pieces, nuggets, burgers and other applications for high moisture TVP. It is a unique offering from Givaudan for customers looking to give consumers the best-tasting meat alternatives available.

For more information visit www.givaudan.com.