Seeking: Taste Modulators for Plant Proteins in Asia and Oceania

A yet2 client seeks industrial and academic partners to develop taste modulators and evaluation methods in Asia and Oceania which can adjust the flavor experience of amino acid, small peptide, and macromolecule (protein) off-tastes (e.g., bitterness, beany, green, hay amongst others) and unpleasant mouthfeel (astringency, grainy, slimy amongst others) to allow greater incorporation into a range of food and beverage products for human consumption.

Background

Plant proteins can have off-putting or unpleasant flavors, textures, or smells when used for human food products.  There is a growing need to develop unique and appealing plant-based food products to accommodate the growing taste expectations of flexitarian customers. To ensure customer satisfaction with plant-based food products, natural compounds aka taste modulators may be used to mask or eliminate any undesired characteristics of plant protein.

 

Flavor Modulation Ingredients Must Have

• Improve mouthfeel and/or mask off-notes of the plant-based food and beverage
• Solutions must be small molecules that have an impact on taste and/or texture modulation
• Have physical properties that are compatible with food systems

 

Desired Outcome of the Solution

The goal is to gain a fundamental understanding of the landscape in these two geographic locations and to identify potential partners to work with in the future. Potential solution providers will include promising academic research institutions, start-ups, and established companies.

Field of Use and Intended Applications

Plant protein-based food and beverage products

 

Related Tech Needs

Seeking: Taste Modulators for Plant Proteins

Unilever Seeking: Next Generation Plant-Based Meat Products

 

Photo Credit: Diana Polekhina on Unsplash