The Crespel & Deiters Group, a wheat processor in Europe that recently opened a U.S. subsidiary, Crespel & Deiters Food U.S.A. LP, is inviting U.S. food manufacturers to jump on the wheat-based meat alternatives bandwagon with a range of Crespel & Deiters’ wheat texturates to create barbecue-friendly meat-alternative products made with sustainable and innovative ingredients and solutions. 

Crespel & Deiters Vegan Barbecue Products. Credit: Crespel & Deiters Group.

 

Booming sales of meat alternatives show no sign of cooling off, largely as a result of an ever-increasing number of flexitarians — consumers who eat meat yet also eat plant-based products. 

But to win over this group and guarantee repeat purchases, authentic mouthfeel and taste are both crucial. That’s why ingredients expert Crespel & Deiters has developed combinations of wheat texturates that can be used by manufacturers to create plant-based versions of grilled classics such as steaks, sausages, burger patties, fish fillets, and much more. 

Crespel & Deiters plant-based Burger. Credit: Crespel & Deiters Group.

 

Whether Americans are firing up the summertime grill or are getting ready to keep the party going all the way through fall, they’re increasingly seeking out sizzling plant-based alternatives for a lot of reasons, including the desire to prepare tasty vegetarian alternatives to saturated-fat-laden barbcue options. 

Two of the many advantages of choosing Crespel & Deiters as a meat-alternative-ingredient pitmaster partner are: 

1. Sustainable and future-oriented 

With a growing need for more sustainable foods, plant proteins will increasingly play an important role in the market for years to come. Wheat as a raw material scores high thanks to its multifunctionality and regionality. Almost 99% of each grain can be recycled through the production of coproducts, thus ensuring a resource-conserving approach to the environment. The use of wheat-based ingredients is another step toward future-oriented end products that encourage consumers to make health- or values-based repeat purchases. 

2. Tailor-made texture 

With the addition of water, texture can be adjusted and tailored to individual applications, as the degree of hydration determines bite strength. For a classic American homestyle burger patty, different shapes and sizes can be combined and made firm or soft according to individual formulator preference. An authentic replica of the original animal-based product is achieved by combining the texturates with the appropriate functional mixture of wheat gluten and starches. The choice of binding system depends on the processing procedures and desired product properties. 

The basis for "grillable" meat alternatives is extruded wheat proteins and wheat-based binding components from Crespel & Deiters, which are neutral in taste and smell. This gives manufacturers an unlimited opportunity to individually flavor their products, all of which can be easily produced using standard meat processing equipment.

Source: Crespel & Deiters Group