Today’s consumers think nothing of eating meat or sausage one day and plant-based alternatives the next. 

Meat producers are adding vegetarian and vegan products to their product lines, but regardless of whether they are meat or meatless—foods only can be successful if they have the taste and texture consumers want. 

That’s where Hydrosol helps. This provider of all-in solutions for meat and sausage products and vegetable-based alternatives is presenting its expanded product range for industrial and artisan producers at this year’s IFFA international meat exposition, May 4-9 in Frankfurt, Germany. Solutions range from stabilization and texturing, to seasoning and freshness preservation, to sausage casings and breading, with the focus on plant-based trend products and “free from” solutions.

Current consumer trends show that plant-based alternatives remain a topic of great interest, in part because they have clear advantages over meat in terms of sustainability and animal welfare. 

Accordingly, Hydrosol is continuing to expand its range of plant-based vegan products. One example is the HydroTOP VEGAN SF series. This allergen- and soy-free system based on potato and pea protein helps manufacturers make a wide range of products, from cold cuts and salami to bacon. The system also makes it easy to produce plant-based snack foods. This lets food manufacturers meet the rising demand for healthy, good-tasting snacks and position themselves in a further growth segment. 

“The Plant Kingdom” is one of the top trends of 2019 according to Innova Market Insights, and is also influencing conventional meat products. Ground meat and sausage specialties enriched with grains and superfoods like legumes or seeds have a healthy image, and appeal to new target groups. 

Hydrosol has developed the HydroTOP High Gel range for these meat and vegetable hybrid products as well as for all-vegetable burgers. It lets marketers emphasize ecological and ethical benefits, along with economic advantages. The High Gel range can also be used to make fish alternatives. 

Another plus point is that the High Gel range simplifies the manufacture of reduced-fat products, addressing another strong trend that has high social relevance given the drastic worldwide increase in obesity. Along with fat reduction, salt reduction is also becoming more and more of an issue. 

Hydrosol has developed functional systems that enable the manufacture of sodium-reduced sausage and red and white meat products. The company is also presenting new developments for freshness preservation. IFFA visitors can learn more about these and other highlights of Hydrosol’s portfolio at Booth B 81, Hall 12.1.

For more information, visit www.hydrosol.de.

About Hydrosol: 

Hydrosol GmbH & Co. KG headquartered in Ahrensburg near Hamburg, Germany, is a fast-growing international supplier of food stabilizers, with subsidiaries around the world. Its specialists develop and produce tailor-made stabilizer systems for dairy products, ice cream and desserts, delicatessen and ready meals, as well as meat, sausage and fish products. The company also supplies solutions for beverages, and for vegetarian and vegan alternatives to meat and dairy products. With its international network of 16 subsidiaries and numerous qualified foreign representatives, the company is represented in the world's key markets. 

As a member of the independent, owner-operated Stern-Wywiol Gruppe with a total of 12 sister companies, Hydrosol can make use of many synergies. The company has access to the knowledge of some 80 R&D specialists and to the extensive applications technology of the large Stern-Technology Center in Ahrensburg, Germany. It also benefits from shared production facilities and the Group's own logistics resources, so it can offer customers a high degree of flexibility and innovation capabilities. The Stern-Wywiol Gruppe is one of the world's most successful international suppliers of food & feed ingredients.