Givaudan is set to unveil what it describes as new breakthrough fat encapsulation technology which it claims can help reduce up to 75% of the fat content and 30% of the calories in meat substitutes compared to current market products.
The innovation was inspired by the recent annual Chef’s Council event. Here, international Michelin-star chefs helped the company explore and develop new tastes and flavours which the ingredients supplier will bring food manufacturers.
According to Givaudan, the fat encapsulation innovation will not only improve a product’s nutritional value but will also provide the benefit of increased authenticity and impact through flavour stabilisation.
Givaudan’s Chef’s Council has led the flavour company to discover some innovative culinary breakthroughs over the past decade. For example, the 2010 Chef’s Council in Hong Kong focused on Umami (the fifth ‘savoury’ taste, after salt, sweet, sour and bitter) and Kokumi (a Japanese word roughly translating to ‘rich taste’ or ‘delicious’). This led to the launch of Givaudan’s TasteSolutions Richness platform, which offers to translate the authentic flavours of home cooking to a range of ready meals, snacks, soups and sauces and remove manufacturer’s reliance on the excessive use of salt or taste enhancers like MSG.
The 2014 Chef’s Council in New York inspired Givaudan’s Freshness range, which, using FreezeFrame technology, makes convenience dishes taste like they were prepared only minutes earlier.
Looking to create the next generation of plant-based foods
The focus of this year’s event was the protein and the plant-based trend: one of the strongest dietary shifts and greatest innovation opportunities in the food industry today.
Givaudan said its consumer research shows it that consumers globally are ‘becoming more aware of the environmental and health impacts of their food choices and are shifting to more sustainable diets by reducing their meat consumption’ and that as a result ‘neither protein nor centre of plate will ever be the same’.
Four world-renowned Michelin-star chefs were set the task of creating delicious tasting plant-based meat-alternatives, as well as generating new inspiration for, and redefining, traditional meat products.
Givaudan explained it wanted to discover products “that are not only delicious, but also healthier than what is currently available on the market. The overarching themes of the challenge included applying natural ingredients, processes and techniques to create healthier protein products. A key focus was on envisioning the future of centre of plate.”
As well as the breakthrough fat encapsulation technology, the event inspired Givaudan teams to create and commercialise “a novel collection of new flavours allowing for remarkable concept development”. These new range of flavours include lamb and smokelike flavours. “We’re excited to bring these new insights and concepts to our customers in the coming weeks and months,” Givaudan said.
A ‘lambalogue’ innovation
Among the conclusions from this year’s event were that ‘new protein products can be created by merging and blending different cuisines and styles’ and that for plant-based foods, ‘mouthfeel and fatty notes are critical in delivering satisfaction’.
One dish created at the event was a Middle Eastern inspired ‘lambalogue’ vegan dish that replicates slow-cooked braised lamb belly using extruded soy TVP (Texturised Vegetable Protein) as well as shawarma pitta, baba ganoush, hummus, duqqa and pomegranate.
“This vegan dish and aubergine is market ready through the use of texturised vegetable protein, flavours, seasonings, pastes and colours. This amazing ‘lambalogue’ enhances the vegetable experience in a delectable and satisfying way that consumers will love,” said Givaudan.
Louie D’Amico, President of the Flavour Division said: “Givaudan has been running the Chef’s Council for more than 15 years and over that time we’ve seen great success and many new product launches from the programme. This year, with a focus on protein, the teams brought it to a new level with delicious creations and new innovations that can vastly improve both the taste and healthfulness of our customers’ plant-based products.”
Flavio Garofalo, Global Category Director Savoury Flavours and Natural Ingredients at Givaudan, added: “One of the key insights coming out of the event was the critical interaction and relationship between flavour, taste and texture that is a key differentiator when considering side dishes and centre of plate. Deconstructing different flavours and textures and reassembling them to achieve those that consumers expect and prefer is a key aspect in the evolution of plant-based meat substitutes as the main focus of a meal.”
A summary of these insights, some of the inspirational dishes created for the event and more information on the application of Givaudan’s new fattiness technology are available in the event paper, downloadable here.