Food formulators are ushering in a new phase in the evolution of plant-based protein alternatives. With plant-based, vegetarian and vegan food products meat becoming more common, formulators hope to create more complex applications and address health-conscious consumers’ demands for variety and good taste.
Examples range from faux chicken nuggets, to “crab” cakes, to meatballs. Developing these as commercial applications requires plant proteins that can hold up to processing while maintaining their fibrous structure and piece quality.