The plant-based food industry has made monumental strides over the past few decades, transitioning from niche products to mainstream options available in every supermarket and fast-food chain. The driving force behind this revolution has been the development of flavors that closely mimic the sensory experience of meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs—key protein sources of the human diet.

Consumers increasingly are seeking plant-based alternatives to satisfy their taste preferences and desires to reduce their reliance on animal-derived products. In order for product makers to successfully fulfill these consumer demands, achieving authentic flavor profiles that evoke the essence of traditional protein has become both an art and a science.

No beef

The best example to describe the modern approach to creating authentic tasting red meat items is that classic plant-based analog, the veggie dog. Most traditional hotdogs use natural smoke to impart that 'je ne sais quoi' that makes a hot dog a hot dog. Another element that has been crucial in the flavoring of meat products for centuries is spice. To create the first universally successful plant-based hot dog, the logical starting point was to focus on the traditional version.

Consultations with a master butcher led to the traditional spice blends used to season a classic frankfurter. These included garlic powder, dried mustard, white pepper, and nutmeg. But the most important ingredient was smoke. The first trials in creating the soy dog used liquid smoke, but it was too strong and left a lingering aftertaste. Tempering it, however, allowed it to bring out the smoky, grilled flavor consumers crave in hot dogs.

When the Yeast Will Do

With other plant-based products, there are always challenges, especially in the development of poultry analogs such as mock chicken tenders and scaloppini-style chicken cutlets. In plant-based meats, off flavor notes that can arise from ingredients like soy isolate, pea protein, and wheat gluten can pose a significant hurdle. 

A preferred go-to solution for masking such off-flavors is yeast extract. Yeast extract is a powerful ingredient used in many plant-based products to enhance savory, umami flavors. It is created through a process called “reaction flavoring,” in which yeast cells are broken down to release amino acids, peptides, and other compounds that mimic the rich, savory flavor of animal protein.

Yeast extract is versatile and can be applied in a way that can duplicate almost any flavor when used correctly. In many cases, it can make a plant-based product taste so close to the real thing that it can be hard to tell the difference.

Despite its effectiveness, yeast extract is not a miracle solution. It requires careful synergy with other flavor ingredients. For example, wheat and soy isolates can contribute very strong off flavors. So much so that if not properly masked, they can completely overpower the final product. To achieve the right balance, developers often have to experiment with various spices, herbs, and extracts until they achieve the desired balance.

Mushroom Power

Mushrooms and other fungi have been used to impart meat-mimicking umami and kokumi—rich, savory meatinesss—for ages. Modern food technologists have taken advantage of this, with perhaps chicken analogs from Marlow Foods, Ltd.’s Quorn brand of vegetarian poultry and meat substitutes. Quorn is made from mycoproteins derived from the Fusarium venenatum fungus via fermentation.

Mycoproteins commonly are derived from the threadlike roots of fungi, the mycelium. In Sweden, ingredient scientists took mycelium-based protein technology to the next level specifically to improve on mycoprotein-based chicken substitutes. Typically, makers of plant-based meat use high-moisture extrusion to replicate the fiberlike structure of meat. The high-moisture, high-temperature process limits the shape and size of the resulting meat analogs, especially when applied to soy or pea proteins or seed and grain-sourced proteins.

Mycoprotein from mycelium boasts a naturally fibrous texture, with a neutral flavor. Nutritionally, it also is rich in many essential amino acids. The new technology takes the extrusion process a step further by aligning the mycelium fibers to allow for large pieces of any size or shape, making it possible to create whole-cut chicken breast-like cuts. Using less energy than traditional extrusion methods, the process also retains more moisture in the finished cuts, keeping them juicy. Other proteins can be included in the process with the mycoproteins as well to enable variations in texture and performance.

Another fungus used to bring savory meaty flavors to recipes is koji. Koji comes from Aspergillus sp. mold that is used to ferment wheat or soybean. It is prized in Japanese cuisine for its replication of cured meats due to a slightly sweet back note that comes from natural glutamate and the enzymatic breakdown into sugars of the starches in the wheat or soy substrate. It is ideally suited to formulations such as bacon, sausage and deli meat analogs.

Dried shiitake mushroom powder is a simple ingredient that adds a deep, meaty flavor to formulations where the texture components work separately from flavor providers. It also can be used to enhance other flavor sources in an alt-meat or poultry product.

Going Clean

In recent years, consumers have made it clear that they will not compromise when it comes to clean labels and natural ingredients. This is especially true when it comes to plant-based products. To survive the current backlash against plant-based analogs, developers must create plant-based options that are not only as authentic as possible in flavor and texture, but also free from artificial additives and GMOs.

This approach has been used successfully in the recent creation of plant-based sushi and other raw seafood replications. Simple, natural —and traditional—“off the shelf” ingredients including rice vinegar, organic cane sugar, sesame oil are the foundation of rich, authentic flavors. Yet more innovative, but still natural ingredients like DHA algal oil—an omega-3-rich oil extracted from marine algae—give seafood alternatives the “fresh from the ocean” flavor note that is so critical to plant-based seafood.

A variety of natural ingredients from around the world were incorporated to build complex and delicious flavor profiles in the next-gen plant-based sushi. These include miso paste made from chickpeas instead of soy, tamari, wasabi powder, turmeric, spirulina, and kale. These ingredients, including the DHA algal oil, not only contribute to the flavor of seafood alternatives but also provide a nutritional benefit, such as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. This is particularly important in plant-based products, where achieving the right balance of nutrients can be nearly as crucial as flavor.

The Chef's Touch

While food scientists play an essential role in the development of plant-based flavors, a chef’s expertise is invaluable when it comes to creating animal-free products that truly taste like the real thing. A chef’s palate is trained to identify the nuances of flavor in ways that a food scientist’s might not be.

A food scientist can formulate the correct ingredient combination, but a chef knows how to build flavor layers that make a product come alive. That combination of culinary acumen and scientific precision in understanding how flavors interact lead to a holistic knowledge in achieving a final product that just “tastes right.”

In drawing inspiration from traditional cuisines, while incorporating modern culinary techniques and innovative ingredients, analog developers can construct the perfect combination of the two disciplines to attain a premier product. More than that, they can stays true to the values and consumer demands of clean labels with natural, simple, non-GMO ingredients. With a growing focus on “clean” ingredients, sustainable practices, and innovative flavoring techniques, the future of plant-based food looks promising.


Flavor Force

There are a number of devices in the product developer’s toolbox for creating flavors that mimic meat, poultry, and seafood. For techniques, methods such as extrusion, roasting, or searing will each impart different flavor notes. Among ingredients, a comprehensive range starts with specific protein sources, such as soy, chickpeas, yellow peas, mung beans, algae, and fungi.

Ingredients that impart umami and kokumi, of course, are high priority. Options can include various mushrooms/mushroom powders; soy sauce/soy sauce powders; yeast extracts, flakes, and powders; natural smoke; and caramelized vegetables such as roasted onions, aged black garlic, and tomato concentrates and extracts.

To impart flavors of the sea, nori and other seaweed and seaweed extracts have proven to be good sources. Other sources of meaty, smoky umami and kokumi can include smoked peppers, such as chipotlé and Ancho chili peppers. Sulfury spices such as black salt and asafoetida can deliver a flavor reminiscent of egg yolk. These are just some of the ingredients and preparation techniques that can help developers create meat, poultry, seafood, and egg mimics that go beyond trompe-l’oiel to being near-perfect tromper les papilles treats.


PF, I Love You

The global precision fermentation ingredients market size, currently at around USD3 billion, is projected to reach USD36.3 billion by 2030, recording a CAGR of 44.0% by value, according to MarketsandMarkets, Inc. The research group pointed to changing consumer preferences towards veganism, increasing protein consumption, and rising investments in innovations as the major factors for market growth. MarketsandMarkets further reported that precision fermentation is expected to become a low-cost technology generating huge opportunities in the alternative protein space.

The group also predicted that “the industry will reach cost parity with most animal-derived protein molecules by 2025” and that by the end of the decade, “the cost of precision fermentation-based protein is expected to be less than that of animal-based counterparts.” The report also forecast that “modern food developed through this method will also pave way for a new food production system, moving from farms to fermentation tanks.”

The report further noted that, “sustainable production method is expected to generate more opportunities for manufacturers for commercially launching animal-free products. Also included was that “the egg alternatives segment is projected to grow with the second-highest CAGR in the precision fermentation ingredients market during the forecast period.”


Protein Alternatives Market Report

The global protein alternatives market is estimated at USD15.7 billion…[and] is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.9% to reach USD25.2 billion by 2029. The protein alternatives market has experienced rapid growth and diversification in recent years, driven by increasing consumer demand for sustainable, health-conscious, and ethically produced food options. Key drivers of this market include rising concerns over the environmental impact of traditional animal agriculture, health benefits associated with plant-based diets, and ethical considerations regarding animal welfare. Major segments within the protein alternatives market include plant-based proteins, insect-based proteins, and microbial proteins.
by MarketsandMarkets, Inc.