Plant-Based Food: Powder Raw Materials, Processing and the All-Important First Bite

Global demand for, and consumption of, meat is increasing due to an increase in population and individual economic gain. This trend is problematic as it results in public health complications, animal welfare concerns and environmental issues. Plant-based food has the potential to resolve these issues as “better for you” and “better for the planet” alternatives. Due to surging consumer demand, such products are currently developing from niche to mainstream in the form of a variety of plant-based raw materials. This is accompanied by challenges related to consumers’ sensory perception and acceptance, as well as to safety, formulation, processing, up-scaling and storage. Despite significant improvements in flavor and texture, certain customer expectations are strongly related to the fact that they are accustomed to meat-based products.
In this webinar, we compare raw materials and various plant-based final products, vegan meat, sugar substitutes, soy protein powder, protein solutions, milk-like drinks and pudding, with conventional products and elucidate similarities and differences regarding processing behavior.